Thomas Hardy

The Thing Unplanned

The white winter sun struck its stroke on the bridge,
The meadow-rills rippled and gleamed
As I left the thatched post-office, just by the ridge,
And dropped in my pocket her long tender letter,
With: ‘This must be snapped! it is more than it seemed;
And now is the opportune time!’

But against what I willed worked the surging sublime
Of the thing that I did – the thing better!