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Today, on November 21st, 2009, the site contains 196 poets, 8,692 poems and 7,650 comments.
Thomas Hardy - The Ruined Maid

"O 'Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!
Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town? 
And whence such fair garments, such prosperi-ty?"--
"O didn't you know I'd been ruined?" said she.

--"You left us in tatters, without shoes or socks,
Tired of digging potatoes, and spudding up docks;
And now you've gay bracelets and bright feathers three!"--
"Yes: that's how we dress when we're ruined," said she.

--"At home in the barton you said 'thee' and 'thou,'
And 'thik oon,' and 'theäs oon,' and 't'other'; but now
Your talking quite fits 'ee for high compa-ny!"--
"Some polish is gained with one's ruin," said she.

--"Your hands were like paws then, your face blue and bleak
But now I'm bewitched by your delicate cheek,
And your little gloves fit as on any la-dy!"--
"We never do work when we're ruined," said she.

--"You used to call home-life a hag-ridden dream,
And you'd sigh, and you'd sock; but at present you seem
To know not of megrims or melancho-ly!"--
"True. One's pretty lively when ruined," said she.  

"--I wish I had feathers, a fine sweeping gown,
And a delicate face, and could strut about Town!"--
"My dear--a raw country girl, such as you be,
Cannot quite expect that. You ain't ruined," said she.

Added: on May 22nd, 2006 at 8:11 AM | Viewed: 12696 times | Comments (11)


The Ruined Maid - Comments and Information

Poet: Thomas Hardy
Poem: The Ruined Maid

Comment 11 of 11, added on May 18th, 2009 at 5:02 AM.

When one is given lined paper must he or she write the other way. When talking about virtue one must understand that Amelia in this poem is merely happy for she has materialistic things which can be too "ruined." Happiness is a bliss and can often be taken away without regard for concerns. For one's body often is never renewed, when clothes are torn we can get new ones somehow and some way,they are ruined temporarily yet mind, body and soul will forever remain the same.

alejandria slone from Guam from United States
Comment 10 of 11, added on April 20th, 2008 at 9:40 AM.

Although Amelias comments may be percieved as bragging I think that her tone in the poem is not really one of pride and triumph, but more cold and withdrawn and she is simply replying to the other girls questions, as if she is no longer the same happy person she was before she was ruined.

hasan friggle from Oman
Comment 9 of 11, added on May 22nd, 2006 at 8:11 AM.

ummm this is a wicked poemmmmm...
im doing an assingment on it at the moment and i have fallen in love with it.
everytime i read it i undertand it more.
i dont get sick of it.
but umm does someone wanna do my assigment for me?
thanks :]


jade from Australia

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