Thomas Hardy: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Middle-Age Enthusiasms

Thomas Hardy

“Middle-Age Enthusiasms” as printed in Wessex Poems and Other Verses (1899).

Thomas Hardy: Collected Lyrics Text 21 1899 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsWessex verse
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Wessex Poems and Other Verses, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

WE passed where flag and flower

Signalled a jocund throng;

We said: "Go to, the hour

Is apt!"—and joined the song;

And, kindling, laughed at life and care,

Although we know no laugh lay there.

We walked where shy birds stood

Watching us, wonder-dumb;

Verse 2

Their friendship met our mood;

We cried: "We'll often come:

We'll come morn, noon, eve, everywhen!"

—We doubted we should come again.

We joyed to see strange sheens

Leap from quaint leaves in shade;

A secret light of greens

They'd for their pleasure made.

We said: “We'll set such sorts as these!"

—We knew with night the wish would cease.

"So sweet the place," we said,

"Its tacit tales so dear,

Our thoughts, when breath has sped,

Will meet and mingle here!" . . .

"Words!" mused we. "Passed the mortal door,

Our thoughts will reach this nook no more."

Credits

Written by Thomas Hardy

Words by Thomas Hardy. Historical text published in Wessex Poems and Other Verses (1899); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Wessex Poems and Other Verses (1899), “Middle-Age Enthusiasms”

The 1899 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) died more than 96 years ago and his works entered the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions in 1999; entries credited to other hands are held unless their author died more than 70 years ago.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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