The Minute before Meeting by Thomas Hardy

Name: The Minute before Meeting
Author: Thomas Hardy

The poem explores the tension between anticipation and the passage of time, focusing on a moment just before a significant meeting. The speaker reflects on the emotional weight of the days leading up to this encounter, describing them as grey and daunting, akin to insurmountable hills. The longing for the meeting is palpable, as the speaker wishes to pause time and savor the fleeting moments before the event. The speaker grapples with the duality of hope and despair, recognizing that the current moment is both precious and transient. There is a sense of urgency to hold onto the present, as the future remains uncertain and potentially disappointing. The anticipation is tinged with a foreboding awareness that what is about to happen will soon become a memory, overshadowed by the inevitable passage of time. As the poem progresses, the speaker acknowledges the emotional toll of waiting, suggesting that the months leading up to this moment have been filled with a profound need that has not been met. The juxtaposition of "close expectance" and "far expectance" highlights the contrast between the immediate thrill of the upcoming meeting and the distant, unresolved feelings that linger beyond it. Ultimately, the work encapsulates the bittersweet nature of human experience, where moments of joy are often accompanied by the shadow of loss. The speaker's desire to fully embrace the present is complicated by the knowledge that time will continue to move forward, transforming this moment into a memory that may not live up to the expectations built during the long wait. The poem captures the essence of longing, the complexity of human emotions, and the relentless march of time, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of anticipation and fulfillment.

By Thomas Hardy · First published 1917 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 154 words

First lines

THE grey gaunt days dividing us in twain / Seemed hopeless hills my strength must faint to climb, / But they are gone; and now I would detain / The few clock-beats that part us; rein back Time,

And live in close expectance never closed / In change for far expectance closed at last, / So harshly has expectance been imposed / On my long need while these slow blank months passed.

And knowing that what is now about to be / Will all _have been_ in O, so short a space! / I read beyond it my despondency / When more dividing months shall take its place, / Thereby denying to this hour of grace / A full-up measure of felicity.

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The Minute before Meeting 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, Existentialism, Victorian Literature
Length: 154 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing meter and rhyme, characteristic of poetry.
Romanticism — The themes of longing, time, and emotional depth align with Romantic ideals.
Lyric — The personal expression of feelings and thoughts indicates a lyric quality.
Existentialism — The contemplation of time and existence reflects existential themes.