Only a man harrowing clods
In a slow silent walk
With an old horse that stumbles and nods
Half asleep as they stalk.
Only thin smoke without flame
From the heaps of couch-grass;
Yet this will go onward the same
Though Dynasties pass.
Yonder a maid and her wight
Come whispering by:
War's annals will cloud into night
Ere their story die.

Another quote →

Notes from Wikiquote

The title is derived from Jeremiah 51:20: "Thou art my battle ax and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations."

More quotes by Thomas Hardy

All Thomas Hardy quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Thomas Hardy (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.