Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


READ BY MOONLIGHT by THOMAS HARDY

Poet Analysis

First Line: I PAUSED TO READ A LETTER OF HERS
Last Line: BY THE MOON'S COLD SHINE!

I PAUSED to read a letter of hers
By the moon's cold shine,
Eyeing it in the tenderest way,
And edging it up to catch each ray
Upon her light-penned line.
I did not know what years would flow
Of her life's span and mine
Ere I read another letter of hers
By the moon's cold shine!

I chance now on the last of hers,
By the moon's cold shine;
It is the one remaining page
Out of the many shallow and sage
Whereto she set her sign.
Who could foresee there were to be
Such missives of pain and pine
Ere I should read this last of hers
By the moon's cold shine!



Home: PoetryExplorer.net