tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post4640145654736240957..comments2024-01-02T15:12:14.699+00:00Comments on War Poetry: Thomas Hardy, 'Christmas: 1924'Tim Kendallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17917270014209480898noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-26541231532840676572023-11-19T14:23:50.020+00:002023-11-19T14:23:50.020+00:00The poem sums our lack of progress up in just four...The poem sums our lack of progress up in just four lines.<br />Technology is racing ahead ever faster, far outpacing the human animal’s ability to evolve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-3120286702099597462021-12-19T17:36:11.716+00:002021-12-19T17:36:11.716+00:00The poem is perfect. Effectively, it is an aphoris...The poem is perfect. Effectively, it is an aphorism, but any embellishment would be wasted. It's a sentiment; the church neither condemns war nor serves to prevent it and, after 2000 years, we haven't learnt anything. perfect.Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065988248542043917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-85618980008196614342011-02-01T03:52:38.334+00:002011-02-01T03:52:38.334+00:00I went to Mass but always felt like more of an Agn...I went to Mass but always felt like more of an Agnostic til my wife died. You can't be pissed at someone who doesn't exist. ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-80803933566360702402010-12-30T07:45:02.894+00:002010-12-30T07:45:02.894+00:00Shame that a man at war within himself, bound by d...Shame that a man at war within himself, bound by depression and despair, but for a time distracted (taunted, one might say) by a tiny bird... too bad such a lovely marvel doesn't qualify as a war poem for the New Year. Is the poet swayed? Or is he beyond swaying (as later when truly aged, frail and fervourless)? Hardy's other poems pale beside the Darkling's perfect phrases and images. Nothing in the century since has bettered it--equalled maybe; many would cite favorites--and I believe Hardy never again flung his soul so far.Ed Leimbacherhttp://mrebks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-11966536864181541172010-12-23T17:27:51.088+00:002010-12-23T17:27:51.088+00:00Whatever Hardy's rationale (pro-Peace, anti-Ch...Whatever Hardy's rationale (pro-Peace, anti-Church, bitter misanthrope), I'd rate this Xmas excoriation as jingle-bellicose--a failed aphorism I'd rate "F for missed 'em" instead.Ed Leimbacherhttp://www.mrebks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2499661274163551793.post-82399463311862745972010-12-21T19:59:28.669+00:002010-12-21T19:59:28.669+00:00Hardy's bluntness reminds me of Arthur Graeme ...Hardy's bluntness reminds me of Arthur Graeme West's poems about God. But West is beside himself, he's so angry; he's absolutely outraged. Hardy's not so passionate.<br /><br />Thanks for moving on from JP. Took a while!Rags and Paperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09534480332439606397noreply@blogger.com