The Faithful Swallow
—— by Thomas Hardy
When summer shone
Its sweetest on
An August day,
“Here evermore,”
I said, “I’ll stay;
Not go away
To another shore
As fickle they!”
December came:
“Twas not the same!”
I did not know
Fidelity
Would serve me so.
Frost, hunger, snow
And now, ah me,
Too late to go!