Poems of the Past and the Present

Poems of the Past and the Present is a collection of poems by Thomas Hardy, published in 1901. This work followed his first significant poetry collection, Wessex Poems (1898). While Hardy began writing poetry in the 1860s, he turned to prose when his poems were not immediately published, eventually becoming a renowned novelist. He later returned to poetry, with most of his verse appearing after 1898.12

Poems of the Past and the Present contains nearly twice as many poems as its predecessor, with most written shortly before its publication. The collection includes sections such as "War Poems," inspired by the South African War, and a series of philosophical poems. Hardy's poetry spans various forms, including lyrics, meditations, ballads, and dramatic monologues, often experimenting with different stanza forms and meters.1