Works of Thomas Hardy discussion

An Unkindly May

A shepherd stands by a gate in a white smock-frock:
He holds the gate ajar, intently counting his flock.

The sour spring wind is blurting boisterous-wise,
And bears on it dirty clouds across the skies;
Plantation timbers creak like rusty cranes,
And pigeons and rooks, dishevelled by late rains,
Are like gaunt vultures, sodden and unkempt,
And song-birds do not end what they attempt:
The buds have tried to open, but quite failing
Have pinched themselves together in their quailing.
The sun frowns whitely in eye-trying flaps
Through passing cloud-holes, mimicking audible taps.
‘Nature, you're not commendable to-day!’
I think. ‘Better to-morrow!’ she seems to say.

That shepherd still stands in that white smock-frock,
Unnoting all things save the counting his flock.


This poem was published in Thomas Hardy's posthumous collection, Winter Words: Poetry & Personal Writings, in 1928.

"An Unkindly May" is a poem that sometimes is discussed by literary scholars because of its unusual structure. The center section could stand on its own as a nature poem about weather.

Hardy added rhyming couplets about the shepherd counting his sheep at the beginning and end of the poem. He's doing his work oblivious to the windy, damp conditions. Hardy turned it into a poem about a typical life of a rustic worker. It takes a second reading to decide whether or not you like what Hardy has done.

I see what he does here and why. But, at the same time, I find myself preferring this poem if it only consisted of the second stanza.

John wrote: "I see what he does here and why. But, at the same time, I find myself preferring this poem if it only consisted of the second stanza."

On the other hand, I personally think the framing couplets about the shepherd add a layer of meaning to the poem which, for me, enhances it rather than detracts from it. It's such a matter-of-fact comment about how the daily concerns and demands of human life go on, regardless of bad weather or other "unkindly" circumstances which may be taking place around them.

For me the frame adds, but uncomfortably. The shepherd couplets sort of clash with the second stanza, in style anyway. But the juxtaposition of a prodding worker with the fanciful descriptive lines does give it meaning.

I liked the word unnoting in the last line. It's like the shepherd has to make a special effort not to see it all, to stay on his task.

This makes me think of Gabriel Oak in Far From the Madding Crowd, mainly because quite a lot is made of his shepherd's smock.

When (view spoiler)[ he loses his flock and has to sell up and go again to the hiring fair, he decides to dress in a shepherd's smock again, and has a staff carved. But earlier in the day (hide spoiler)] he had hopefully dressed as a bailiff in a countryman's suit.

Thanks for this poem, Connie 😊Now linked.

I think this would be a distinctively different poem and convey an entirely different idea without the opening and closing of the shepherd. Those, for me, take the emphasis completely off the weather itself and land it on the man who endures it. (If a tree falls in the forest?)

Thanks for everyone's input about the framing couplets regarding the shepherd. Hardy draws our attention to the frame by setting those couplets apart from the second stanza. He also uses the three rhyming words (smock, frock, flock) in both of the framing couplets. The repetition of the strong "ck" sound in short words emphasize those lines about the shepherd. The hard sounds contrast with the softer sounds in the second stanza.

I found it a bit jarring on my first read of the poem, but then I liked it for drawing attention to the poem's main focus, the shepherd.

I would love to hear anyone's thoughts about the center stanza too.

Jean, I was also thinking about Gabriel Oak when I was reading the poem. Hardy included shepherds in many of his novels, short stories, and poems.

J.O. Bailey commented that "the shepherd may have been suggested by a painting in his bedroom" since Llewelyn Powys wrote in his Dorset Essays:

Once when I was at Max Gate I had admired very much a small oil-painting of just such a weather-beaten shepherd. Mrs Hardy told me that Mr Hardy was so fond of it that he had always had it hanging near his bed.

Connie wrote: "a small oil-painting of just such a weather-beaten shepherd. Mrs Hardy told me that Mr Hardy was so fond of it that he had always had it hanging near his bed..."

Oh that's interesting, Connie since we know that Gabriel Oak was based on an actual shepherd who lived in Puddletown ("Weatherbury") whom Thomas Hardy knew very well. He may well have had this shepherd friend in mind when writing the poem. And now I want to know more about the painting. I wonder if it's still at Max Gate 🤔

I loved his description of the reaction of the birds and the buds. They appear to be more “put out” by the weather than the shepherd!

Marie wrote: "I loved his description of the reaction of the birds and the buds. They appear to be more “put out” by the weather than the shepherd!"

His descriptions of the bird made me smile. I could imagine them flapping their wings to dry off.

If you enjoy poetry, Marie, feel free to comment on other poems that we have read as a group. In addition to the "Currently Reading" section, the group has another section labeled "Poetry."

‘Nature, you're not commendable to-day!’
I think. ‘Better to-morrow!’ she seems to say.

In the second stanza, we find that the poem has a narrator who is addressing Nature which is personified. The wind and the sun are also personified since the poem tells that the wind blurts and the sun frowns:

The sour spring wind is blurting boisterous-wise

The sun frowns whitely in eye-trying flaps

I love reading everyone's comments, not knowing a thing about poetry, it is so interesting. To me it is as if our attention is drawn to the shepherd, we picture stillness, a sense of tranquillity. Then suddenly we are in a storm of nature, movement, confusion and just as quickly we are back to the shepherd, who is unchanged by his surroundings. He is still calmly counting his flock.
For me this poem paints such a beautiful picture.

It's a beautiful example of personification Connie, and shows that every single word is important doesn't it?

I appreciate the structure, partly for the reason Werner said, that work goes on unchanging "regardless of bad weather or other "unkindly" circumstances". It's the daily grind, the common task ... as John Keble wrote:

"The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask,—"

Thomas Hardy was familiar with many hymns, and would have been sure to know this one.

He also had great respect for the traditional farming methods, so this shepherd totally focussed on and content with his lot, would have earned his admiration.

Without the frame, it would have lost this extra significance and simply be a lovely pastoral poem.

Christina wrote: "I love reading everyone's comments, not knowing a thing about poetry, it is so interesting. To me it is as if our attention is drawn to the shepherd, we picture stillness, a sense of tranquillity. ..."

Yes, life goes on for the shepherd who diligently does his work in all kinds of weather conditions. I hope you'll join us in reading more of Hardy's poems, Christina.

Bionic Jean wrote: "It's a beautiful example of personification Connie, and shows that every single word is important doesn't it?

I appreciate the structure, partly for the reason Werner said, that work goes on unch..."

Thanks for the reference to the hymn, Jean. Hardy makes a point of showing the dedication of farm workers in so many of his works, including the novel and short stories we read last year.

The devoted shepherd also reminded me of the popular phrase describing postal workers: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" which originated in "Herodotus's Histories" from Persia.

I like that idea very much, Connie. And it's so ancient ... Herodotus was a Greek historian c. 484 – c. 425 BCE 😲

Thanks too for choosing such an appropriate poem for the cusp of May taking us into the month. It's now moving to our Poetry folder.