Thomas Hardy

This new selection of Thomas Hardy's poetry is part of a series of collections from six great nature poets.

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was born in Dorset. He left school at sixteen to work as an apprentice for an architect who specialized in church restoration. He made his reputation as a novelist, and it wasn't until after the publication of his last novel, The Well-beloved, in 1897, that he dedicated himself to writing poetry.

A selection of the writer's greatest nature poetry, selected by Tom Paulin, published in a beautiful new edition by Faber.

At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom . . .

-The Darkling Thrush