Works of Thomas Hardy discussion

Afterwards

When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, will the neighbours say
'He was a man who used to notice such things'?

If it be in the dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
The dewfall-hawk comes crossing the shades to alight
Upon the wind-warped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
'To him this must have been a familiar sight.'

If I pass during some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,
One may say, 'He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone.'

If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,
Watching the full-starred heavens that winter sees,
Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,
'He was one who had an eye for such mysteries'?

And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell's boom,
'He hears it not now, but used to notice such things'?

Afterwards was published in November 1917 as part of Moments of Vision and Miscellaneous Verses and could be considered his own epitaph.
In fact, the poem was read at a Memorial Service shortly after his death in 1927.

Glossary:

Postern- a back door or gate, especially that is for private use

Quittance- release from debt or other obligation
-a receipt or other document certifying this

Before we get into a more detailed discussion of Afterwards:

What are your first impressions on reading this poem?

How would you describe the mood?

Does anything else strike you?

How would you like to be remembered?

My first reaction was that "Afterwards" is a poem of reflection. Since it was the last poem in Moments of Vision and Miscellaneous Verses, his own death must have been on Hardy's mind as he was writing it. He's contemplating how he will be remembered, and wonders if people will have noticed his observational powers, his love of nature, and curiosity about the stars in the heavens.

I found it very interesting that he does not mention being remembered for his writing. The poem also asks what will the neighbors say, not what will his readers say. That does make it a more universal poem and not just about Hardy. It would be a beautiful reading at a funeral for a nature lover.

I noticed his focus on nature and country life as well. He wanted to be remembered as a special type of person who noticed and loved nature.
I find the poem has a wistful atmosphere-will people remember the things he loved?

This is lovely. I'm impressed with how Hardy wove a nature poem around this common and relatable anxiety. It speaks of death in every verse, though the word is never used. Hardy implies his demise poetically: 'the Present has latched its postern' behind 'his tremulous stay', and his 'bell of quittance is heard in the gloom'. In the poem others speak of him in the past tense, as if he is gone. Some might perceive this as a gloomy poem, but I don't find it so. I feel any darkness is tempered by the beautiful imagery of nature.

Rosemarie wrote: "How would you like to be remembered?"

I would go to my grave a happier person if I could know for certain that on at least one occasion, after I'm gone, a breeze, or the starry sky would make someone think of me. It's surprising the things that remind us of a departed loved one, rarely is it something considered poetic. Perhaps it is enough that the remembered feeling is poetic in nature.

Connie wrote: "I found it very interesting that he does not mention being remembered for his writing."

My thoughts on this: In his lifetime, Hardy felt that he and his work were misunderstood by some people; by acquaintances and the public alike. I'm not entirely sure if it was a significant percentage, but from what I gather, he was sensitive to the criticism. Whatever people inferred about him through his work as an author, in this poem Hardy is describing a quality of himself he feels is paramount to who is as a person.

I was particularly moved by the stanza dealing with the little innocent creatures, like the hedgehog on the lawn.
What can we do for them, when so many don't care?

Not a happy incident but one of interesting irony: Hardy included a hedgehog in his poem to indicate his love of animals. Philip Larkin, a great admirer of Thomas Hardy, also included a hedgehog in one of his poems. In Larkin's poem The Mower, Larkin describes how a hedgehog he had previously fed became 'jammed up against the blades' of his lawn mower after he accidentally ran over it. Quite an unfortunate incident; I'm sure Larkin must have thought of Hardy afterwards.

Jane wrote: "Not a happy incident but one of interesting irony: Hardy included a hedgehog in his poem to indicate his love of animals. Philip Larkin, a great admirer of [author:Thomas Hardy|15905..."

That's an interesting story, Jane, and I'll have to look into Larkin's poem. I'm sure that many people have a sad story about mowing over some wildlife. My husband was upset when he mowed in an area where a mother rabbit had hidden her babies in the grass. He also mowed under the large leaves of a rhubarb plant and hit a snake. Who knew that a lawn mower was such a predator?

He's imagining his death at different times of the year in the first four stanzas of the poem. His death is imagined during the day, and also during the nocturnal blackness. This poem has such gorgeous imagery.

Connie wrote: "Who knew that a lawn mower was such a predator?"

Sadly, our weapons of mass destruction are more numerous than we realise. Just our mode of living in these times causes harm, not only to ourselves, but to the animals and the earth. All we can do is try to limit our negative impact; it might be too much to hope that we will ever negate it entirely. It seems Hardy was discouraged in this respect.

Connie wrote: "He's imagining his death at different times of the year in the first four stanzas of the poem. His death is imagined during the day, and also during the nocturnal blackness."

This seems to be symbolic of the passage of time. Perhaps Hardy was considering how long (how many seasons) he would continue to be remembered. I wonder whether not having any children influenced his thoughts in this respect. When we procreate, we expect some level of extended remembrance. Hardy clearly and lovingly remembered his grandmother, for instance.

I particularly like how he describes life as a 'tremulous stay'. Tremulous is defined as 'shaking or quivering slightly'. I feel the word does a good job in putting any individual existence into perspective. Perhaps it was this humbleness that explains the questioning thoughts contained in the poem. Hardy wouldn't have known how long his literature would remain relevant and popular.

Linked. This is a beautiful poem thanks Rosemarie. Even the simple title is heavy with meaning and poignancy, in this context.

Thank you, Jean.

The repetitions of the "if's" and the questions that followed made we wonder:

Do those who remained behind notice such things?

There is so much beauty in the world-how many take time to notice it?
Hardy certainly did.
What makes his novels so special is the wonderful description of nature, among many other things, of course.

I love all the imagery in the poem, but this really stood out:

"And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk,"

It was a beautiful way of describing the new spring leaves that have the lightness of butterflies.

Hardy did live on for 11 more years after he wrote this poem. Like many other people he experienced the grief of having other family members, and friends pass on before him. He does seem accepting of death whenever it comes.

Rosemarie, it's an interesting contrast between "Afterwards" and "Drummer Hodge" last week, both poems about death. "Drummer Hodge" is about a man who dies young, in a violent way, far from home, and quickly buried. "Afterwards" is about an old man who is accepting his eventual death, will be buried at home, and hopefully remembered by his neighbors. Both poems mention the stars at night, but Drummer Hodge sees the different constellations of the southern sky.

It's incredible, especially as he claimed to hardly revise his poetry, but in his work Hardy seems to portray nature as both incidental while also being a major character. What I mean is, it's never just about nature. There is so much depth, it's like peeling off layer upon layer the more you look at it. I think this is why his poetry has profoundly struck me since discovering it.

Good connection, Connie.
Drummer Hodge was taken away and the older Hardy has had the opportunity to complete every stage of life's journey.

Connie wrote: "He does seem accepting of death when ever it comes."

Of his own death, certainly. Emma's came as a shock. It's quite a thing to think of all the art we appreciate that stems from others' suffering.

Jane, love of nature seems to be the backbone of Hardy's nature-hidden but necessary.
The poets who write only about nature create some lovely poems, but Hardy has depth, as you said in message 20.

Jane wrote: "Connie wrote: "He does seem accepting of death when ever it comes."

Of his own death, certainly. Emma's came as a shock. It's quite a thing to think of all the art we appreciate that stems from ot..."

Yes, I meant he accepted his own eventual death since most of his loved ones were deceased and there were fewer ties to the living. Many elderly people feel very lonely when their closest friends and family are gone.

The discussion about living to an old age and the comparison between Drummer Hodge and Afterwards, brings to mind the poem To an Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman:

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay...

It has been mentioned that this a poem of reflection, which indeed it is—reflection and nature being consistent themes for Hardy. I will also say it is a poem of legacy. I think many of us have wondered at times how we will be remembered when we die. Good literature can outlast generations. To this day, Hardy has a certain reputation for pessimism. Labelling people tends to discount their diverse subtleties. Not many may realise how much Hardy was intimately able to enjoy nature, from the little hedgehog crossing the lawn, right up to the majestic heavens. Many artists are against biography, arguing that their work should speak for itself. I have found the more I discover about Hardy, the more his work speaks to me. This, in turn, makes me reflect on my own life and the wisdom of my own preference for privacy, and how I may also be misunderstood in consequence.

I so agree with you, Jane. Labelling a person limits our awareness of who they really are, especially the quiet people who don't feel they need to share their thoughts and feelings with everyone.

I find that reading an author carefully and with an open mind is a good way to enjoy and appreciate their works.