Thomas Hardy

End of the Year 1912

You were here at his young beginning,
You are not here at his agèd end;
Off he coaxed you from Life’s mad spinning,
Lest you should see his form extend
Shivering, sighing,
Slowly dying,
And a tear on him expend.

So it comes that we stand lonely
In the star-lit avenue,
Dropping broken lipwords only,
For we hear no songs from you,
Such as flew here
For the new year
Once, while six bells swung thereto.