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A Trampwoman’s Tragedy Lyrics by Thomas Hardy

Time’s Laughingstocks, and Other Verses

0

I
From Wynyard's Gap the livelong day,
                 The livelong day,
We beat afoot the northward way
                 We had travelled times before.
The sun-blaze burning on our backs,
Our shoulders sticking to our packs,
By fosseway, fields, and turnpike tracks
                 We skirted sad Sedge-Moor.
II
Full twenty miles we jaunted on,
                 We jaunted on, -
My fancy-man, and jeering John,
                 And Mother Lee, and I.
And, as the sun drew down to west,
We climbed the toilsome Poldon crest,
And saw, of landskip sights the best,
                 The inn that beamed thereby.
III
For months we had padded side by side,
                 Ay, side by side
Through the Great Forest, Blackmoor wide,
                 And where the Parret ran.
We'd faced the gusts on Mendip ridge,
Had crossed the Yeo unhelped by bridge,
Been stung by every Marshwood midge,
                 I and my fancy-man.
IV
Lone inns we loved, my man and I,
                 My man and I;
"King's Stag," "Windwhistle" high and dry,
                 "The Horse" on Hintock Green,
The cosy house at Wynyard's Gap,
"The Hut" renowned on Bredy Knap,
And many another wayside tap
                 Where folk might sit unseen.
V
Now as we trudged—O deadly day,
                 O deadly day! -
I teased my fancy-man in play
                 And wanton idleness.
I walked alongside jeering John,
I laid his hand my waist upon;
I would not bend my glances on
                 My lover's dark distress.
VI
Thus Poldon top at last we won,
                 At last we won,
And gained the inn at sink of sun
                 Far-famed as "Marshal's Elm."
Beneath us figured tor and lea,
From Mendip to the western sea -
I doubt if finer sight there be
                 Within this royal realm.
VII
Inside the settle all a-row -
                 All four a-row
We sat, I next to John, to show
                 That he had wooed and won.
And then he took me on his knee,
And swore it was his turn to be
My favoured mate, and Mother Lee
                 Passed to my former one.
VIII
Then in a voice I had never heard,
                 I had never heard,
My only Love to me: "One word,
                 My lady, if you please!
Whose is the child you are like to bear? -
HIS? After all my months o' care?"
God knows 'twas not! But, O despair!
                 I nodded—still to tease.
IX
Then up he sprung, and with his knife -
                 And with his knife
He let out jeering Johnny's life,
                 Yes; there, at set of sun.
The slant ray through the window nigh
Gilded John's blood and glazing eye,
Ere scarcely Mother Lee and I
                 Knew that the deed was done.
X
The taverns tell the gloomy tale,
                 The gloomy tale,
How that at Ivel-chester jail
                 My Love, my sweetheart swung;
Though stained till now by no misdeed
Save one horse ta'en in time o' need;
(Blue Jimmy stole right many a steed
                 Ere his last fling he flung.)
XI
Thereaft I walked the world alone,
                 Alone, alone!
On his death-day I gave my groan
                 And dropt his dead-born child.
'Twas nigh the jail, beneath a tree,
None tending me; for Mother Lee
Had died at Glaston, leaving me
                 Unfriended on the wild.
XII
And in the night as I lay weak,
                 As I lay weak,
The leaves a-falling on my cheek,
                 The red moon low declined -
The ghost of him I'd die to kiss
Rose up and said: "Ah, tell me this!
Was the child mine, or was it his?
                 Speak, that I rest may find!"
XIII
O doubt not but I told him then,
                 I told him then,
That I had kept me from all men
                 Since we joined lips and swore.
Whereat he smiled, and thinned away
As the wind stirred to call up day . . .
- 'Tis past! And here alone I stray
                 Haunting the Western Moor.
Credits
Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy

About “A Trampwoman’s Tragedy” by Thomas Hardy

Read the complete lyrics to "A Trampwoman’s Tragedy" by Thomas Hardy from the album "Time’s Laughingstocks, and Other Verses". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"A Trampwoman’s Tragedy" is performed by Thomas Hardy. from the album "Time’s Laughingstocks, and Other Verses" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Trampwoman’s Tragedy", explore more songs by Thomas Hardy using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"A Trampwoman’s Tragedy" is credited to Thomas Hardy. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Trampwoman’s Tragedy" appears on "Time’s Laughingstocks, and Other Verses".

Visit the Thomas Hardy artist page at /artist/thomas-hardy for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.