To Thomas Hardy Poem by nadia abduljabbar

To Thomas Hardy



To the British supervisor of my M.A thesis
on Thomas Hardy: Dr. John Wilks.
He was the first person who encourged
me to write poetry in English around 20 years ago.
I concluded my thesis with this poem.

Two years of my life,
You’ve been occupying,
Your confessional poems
Nourished my heart,
And mind with thoughts about
Man’s nature and life,
Your lyrics caused me many sighs,
They also brought me back tears,
Laughter and smiles,
They made me fly
Up, high over vales,
Over the British hills,
With birds in the sky,
Your not taken road
With all its green and red signs,
Cried before my ears and eyes,
To take it, never leave it;
It is the only way that’s right,
Even if it seems to be wrong
At first sight,
This kind of route
Was, for a long time, mine;
The path of frankness,
Not that of avoidance.
……
Your heart’s decline
Assured me once again,
To follow your untaken steps,
And to open my door again and again
To mature openness,
No more hesitation in confrontation;
Its short cut pain
Is better when it is out burst,
Than when it is bent
Underneath one’s consciousness,
So I decided to about undertake
What the madding crowd fear to chase,
And to be strong enough,
To continue the line
That was always mine,
And had never been yours,
Otherwise I would lead
An unhealthy life.
……
I have always loved you,
From the moment,
I could understand your “Tess
Lament, ” agony and torment,
Who is full of love and life
Of honesty and tenderness,
Then there was a temporary break
Between us twains-
Who were born in Gemini-
In love of nature, cats,
Books, music and dance,
After which there was a reunion,
And through you again,
Came to me light,
From your regrets in “The going, ”
And your “Tolerance” taught
Me in an indirect
Way, never to tolerate
What my principles refuse to consent.
……
Now, I find it very hard,
To say adieu or so long,
To your private poems,
It is impossible to see them left,
On my study’s shelf,
To be covered with dust,
For they have offered me a good conduct,
I confess to you my friend, and my promise you can get,
Though I don’t like to be asked “Why, ”
After our hectic, but
Beautiful journey together,
I can not let your brilliant ideas wither,
And I will never
Kiss your “Complete Poems” goodbye.

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Saltsburg,1988

from (Women with Wings)

published in poemhunter in

4 May 2013
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Shahzia Batool 05 May 2013

Your lyrics caused me many sighs, They also brought me back tears, yes, you are right, see what does he say here: To sorrow I bade good morrow, And thought to leave her far away behind; But cheerly, cheerly, she loves me dearly she is so constant to me and so kind. I would deceive her And so leave her, But ah! she is so constant and so kind.

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