Poem by Thomas Hardy

Thoughts at Midnight

Mankind, you dismay me
When shadows waylay me! –
Not by your splendours
Do you affray me,
Not as pretenders
To demonic keenness,
Not by your meanness,
Nor your ill-teachings,
Nor your false preachings,
Nor your banalities
And immoralities,
Nor by your daring
Nor sinister bearing;
But by your madnesses
Capping cool badnesses,
Acting like puppets
Under Time’s buffets;
In superstitions
And ambitions
Moved by no wisdom,
Far-sight, or system,
Led by sheer senselessness
And presciencelessness
Into unreason
And hideous self-treason...
God, look he on you,
Have mercy upon you!

1. On the Tune Called the Old-Hundred-and-Fourth
2. O I Won’t Lead a Homely Life
3. The Country Wedding
4. The Turnip-Hoer
5. The Aërolite

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