Thomas Hardy — To Outer Nature

Show thee as I thought thee When I early sought thee,        &nbsp Omen-scouting,        &nbsp All undoubting Love alone had wrought thee - Wrought thee for my pleasure, Planned thee as a measure        &nbsp For expounding        &nbsp And resounding Glad things that men treasure. O for but a moment Of that old endowment -        &nbsp Light to gaily        &nbsp See thy daily Irised embowment! But such re-adorning Time forbids with scorning -        &nbsp Makes me see things        &nbsp Cease to be things They were in my morning. Fad'st thou, glow-forsaken, Darkness-overtaken!        &nbsp Thy first sweetness,        &nbsp Radiance, meetness, None shall re-awaken. Why not sempiternal Thou and I? Our vernal        &nbsp Brightness keeping,        &nbsp Time outleaping; Passed the hodiernal!