Thomas Hardy - A New Year's Eve In War Time lyrics

I Phantasmal fears, And the flap of the flame, And the throb of the clock, And a loosened slate, And the blind night's drone, Which tiredly the spectral pines intone! II And the blood in my ears Strumming always the same, And the gable-co*k With its fitful grate, And myself, alone. III The twelfth hour nears Hand-hid, as in shame; I undo the lock, And listen, and wait For the Young Unknown. IV In the dark there careers - As if d**h astride came To numb all with his knock - A horse at mad rate Over rut and stone. V No figure appears, No call of my name, No sound but "Tic-toc" Without check. Past the gate It clatters—is gone. VI What rider it bears There is none to proclaim; And the Old Year has struck, And, scarce animate, The New makes moan. VII Maybe that "More Tears! - More Famine and Flame - More Severance and Shock!" Is the order from Fate That the Rider speeds on To pale Europe; and tiredly the pines intone. 1915-1916.