Imaginings Thomas Hardy

   She saw herself a lady
        With fifty frocks in wear,
And rolling wheels, and rooms the best,
        And faithful maidens' care,
   And open lawns and shady
        For weathers warm or drear.

   She found herself a striver,
        All liberal gifts debarred,
With days of gloom, and movements stressed,
        And early visions marred,
   And got no man to wive her
        But one whose lot was hard.

   Yet in the moony night-time
        She steals to stile and lea
During his heavy slumberous rest
         When homecome wearily,
   And dreams of some blest bright-time
        She knows can never be.