Thomas Hardy — A man was drawing near to me

On that gray night of mournful drone, A part from aught to hear, to see, I dreamt not that from shires unknown         In gloom, alone,         By Halworthy, A man was drawing near to me. I’d no concern at anything, No sense of coming pull-heart play; Yet, under the silent outspreading         Of even’s wing         Where Otterham lay, A man was riding up my way. I thought of nobody - not of one, But only of trifles - legends, ghosts - Though, on the moorland dim and dun         That travellers shun         About these coasts, The man had passed Tresparret Posts. There was no light at all inland, Only the seaward pharos-fire, Nothing to let me understand         That hard at hand         By Hennett Byre The man was getting nigh and nigher. There was a rumble at the door, A draught disturbed the drapery, And but a minute passed before,         With gaze that bore         My destiny, The man revealed himself to me.