'How Great My Grief' (Triolet) Poem by Thomas Hardy

'How Great My Grief' (Triolet)

Rating: 3.2


How great my grief, my joys how few,
Since first it was my fate to know thee!
- Have the slow years not brought to view
How great my grief, my joys how few,
Nor memory shaped old times anew,
   Nor loving-kindness helped to show thee
How great my grief, my joys how few,
   Since first it was my fate to know thee?

'How Great My Grief' (Triolet)
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Nihoulu Lee 13 June 2012

i relly like this poem it makes me hard as a rock. dont worry, im asian so its okay for me to not be racist towards others. can someone tell me if hes a jew or not because i want to meet him if hes not.

7 21 Reply
Nihoulu Lee 13 June 2012

This poem can be smd i belive it was ritten by a jew. im asian so im not racist.

4 19 Reply
Udiah Witness to YAH 13 June 2012

How great His grief, it's just the same For those who come to know Thee For we see struggles in the game How great His grief, it's just the same For those who follow in Your Name When we realize the pain of those who chose to know Thee How great His grief, it's just the same For the world laughs at those who chose to know Thee

10 8 Reply
Joseph Poewhit 13 June 2010

Brings forth the point, we meet people who impact our lives sometimes, beyond our comprehension and emotional control.

8 10 Reply

How great my grief, my joys how few, Since first it was my fate to know thee! Two very powerful declarative lines, outline a life which becomes mainly 'slow years' of intense sorrow, with few respites of joy, after a meeting of ill omen. The moral seems to be choose acquaintances and friends wisely and think carefully, before making life altering choices, because some options have devastating consequences. These sentiments are delightfully expressed in a revealing way. This is a cleverly written poem crafted to a rigid requisite. The triolet must be written with eight lines rhyming in an exact rhyme scheme of abaaabab. The first, fourth, and seventh lines must be exactly the same, and the second and eighth lines. Thomas Hardy has written an interesting triolet, which laments the haunting memory of an error of judgement.

8 9 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 16 January 2021

I wonder how a very simple poem emanated from great Hardy. The straight forward with crystal clear meang.. nothing is there to interpret except to put spotlight on the depth of poet's grief.

0 0 Reply
Suryendu Chaudhury 04 November 2020

There is a pensive note in this poem.

0 0 Reply
Daniya 21 March 2018

Excellent theme of the poem and beautiful poem...♥️♥️♥️

0 0 Reply
Abhimanyu Kumar.s 28 November 2017

I have known him as a novelist but I think he deserves more for poetry too. Wonderful poem.

0 0 Reply
* Sunprincess * 14 November 2015

.....wonderful poem, and excellent theme ★

2 2 Reply
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Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy

Dorchester / England
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