[hardy-l] A memory for the macabre

[carolyn mcgrath]

Thanks, Bill, a little 'sleuthing' was required - combined with a good memory for a macabre funny story - I merely googled 'thomas hardy man coffin brother son died sea' to find the title and volume, and also found the following interesting link to Time Magazine, dated Monday 18 Feb, 1929. 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,737433,00.html

This poem sort of nestles in my mind alongside Tom Waits' poem/lyrics,
'What's he building in there?', with which it has virtually nothing in common beyond the Neighbourhood Watch aspect and the curious and repeated 'tapping', which never gets identified in TW's sinister song.

best wishes

Carolyn McGrath