I Said and Sang her Excellence

Name: I Said and Sang her Excellence
Author: Thomas Hardy

The work explores themes of love, admiration, and the interplay between imagination and reality. The speaker expresses deep affection for a woman, elevating her to an almost ethereal status. This adoration is met with skepticism from others, who label it as excessive praise. Despite this, the speaker's heart insists on its feelings, suggesting a conflict between societal judgment and personal truth. The imagery used evokes a sense of beauty and fantasy, as the woman is likened to a sylph, a creature of air and light, existing in a realm untouched by harsh realities. The speaker's reverence for her is both a celebration of her qualities and a reflection of his own emotional state. He acknowledges the fanciful nature of his admiration, yet it is rooted in a profound connection that transcends mere infatuation. As the narrative unfolds, the speaker experiences a moment of revelation when he encounters the woman he has idealized. This meeting blurs the lines between his dreams and reality, suggesting that his earlier visions were not mere fantasies but prophetic insights into a future that was meant to unfold. The juxtaposition of the imagined and the real highlights the power of love to shape one's perception of the world. The work ultimately grapples with the tension between idealization and authenticity, questioning whether such exalted feelings can withstand the test of reality. The speaker's journey reflects a universal struggle to reconcile inner desires with external perceptions, making the exploration of love both personal and relatable.

By Thomas Hardy · First published 1917 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 260 words

First lines

(_Fickle Lover's Song_)

I SAID and sang her excellence: They called it laud undue. (Have your way, my heart, O! ) Yet what was homage far above The plain deserts of my olden Love Proved verity of my new.

"She moves a sylph in picture-land, Where nothing frosts the air: " (Have your way, my heart, O! ) "To all winged pipers overhead She is known by shape and song," I said, Conscious of licence there.

I sang of her in a dim old hall Dream-built too fancifully, (Have your way, my heart, O! ) But lo, the ripe months chanced to lead My feet to such a hall indeed, Where stood the very She.

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I Said and Sang her Excellence is listed on Textopian as a poem by Thomas Hardy, dated 1917 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Thomas Hardy
Date: 1917 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Imagery, Symbolism
Length: 260 words
Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is structured as a poem, utilizing rhyme and meter to convey emotions and themes.
Romanticism — The themes of love, idealization, and emotional expression align with Romantic literary characteristics.
Lyric — The personal and emotional nature of the speaker's reflections on love fits the lyric genre.
Imagery — The vivid descriptions and visual elements create strong imagery throughout the text.