Like many great people, Hardy had a nativity story. It was believed he was stillborn. An alert midwife saved him when she noticed tiny amounts of movement.
Yokel 1: That Tommy Hardy's birthday today, then.
Yokel 2: Not that he'll care much.
Yokel 1: Being dead and gone.
Yokel 2: As we all shall be.
Yokel 1: Shall us sing him a Birthday Psalm?
Yokel 2: He'd like that. Though he won't know.
Yokel 1: Being dead and gone.
Yokel 2: As we all shall be.
They sing, one-voiced, a Tate and Brady psalm, to the tune of "Cambridge New".
Yokel 1: Is it time fer a drap o' drink?
Yokel 2: I'm as dry as a kex mesel', having' just Small since last nammet-tide.
Yokel 1: Shall us sing Tommy Hardy another song?
Yokel 2: Wi' all my heart. Though we martels marn as well dig on his grave, for all he cares.
Yokel 1: Being dead and gone.
Yokel 2: As we all shall be.
Yokel 1: Psalm 4 to Samuel Wakely's tune, as improved by me?
Yokel 2: Nay, Psalm 109 to "Old Wiltshire". 'Tis the only Psalm worth singing.
They sing Psalm 109 to "Old Wiltshire".
Yokel 1: He'd nay gainsay that to warm his heart wi' its irony.
Yokel 2: Though he now knows no more o' music than the Giant o' Abbot's Cernel.
Yokel 1: Being dead and gone.
Yokel 2: As we all shall be.
I can't understand this liturgy?
ReplyDeleteIf Thomas Hardy is involved, there should be a surprise, tragic ending - where is it, death is mentioned as a bypass of the liturgy, but no evidence of the real tragedy, unless it's in the actual performance of the liturgy.