How time flies! Literally at a supersonic speed! We are almost about to bid good bye to 2023. Most often, the year end brings a feel of unhappiness, sadness, a sense of loss for most. Well, i am the sort who starts looking eagerly at the next year with new hopes.
The year end always reminds me of a much loved Thomas Hardy poem. The title of this lesser known poem in "The Darkling Thrush". The poem, may be, is not known much as Thomas Hardy is often associated with novels. His Wessex novels are indeed great. Yet Hardy was an interesting poet as well, as this small little poem proves.
The poem begins with a bleak scenario. It is the deadly winter time. The whole ambience wears the white shroud of snow. The feel gets eerier with the bare trees looking like ghosts. This typical horror movie scenario makes the poet feel absolutely dejected, depressed, unhappy.
'The end is near' mood is suddenly transformed because despite this absolutely unhappy context, a thrush, a small bird, chooses to warble, to sing passionately. The sweet notes outshine the darkness around, proving how the morrow hides in the dark womb of today.
An intensely lyrical, optimistic and positive poem, it is one of my topmost favourites. It is an outsider in the pessimistic, fatalistic universe of Hardy's oeuvre. In a way, it resonates with 'the life goes on, continues despite catastrophes' feel of all great literature, Hardy's included. That is the beauty of literature, a great energiser!
Pratima@ A bitter tear may hide a sweet smile. Life is too short to waste it on negativities! Who knows, the next breath could be the last. Live hence fully this moment!
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