The Chosen [HARDY poem set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 29/07/2020

The Chosen By Thomas Hardy 

C G F Em
“A woman for whom great gods might strive!” 
C G F
I said, and kissed her there: 
C G Am Dm
And then I thought of the other five, 
Am Em Am
And of how charms outwear. 

F Am G
I thought of the first with her eating eyes, 
F Am Dm
And I thought of the second with hers, green-gray, 
C G F G
And I thought of the third, experienced, wise, 
Am F
And I thought of the fourth who sang all day. 

And I thought of the fifth, whom I'd called a jade. 
And I thought of them all, tear-fraught; 
And that each had shown her a passable maid, 
Yet not of the favour sought. 

So I traced these words on the bark of a beech, 
Just at the falling of the mast: 
“After scanning five; yes, each and each, 
I've found the woman desired – at last!” 

G F Am
“–I feel a strange benumbing spell, 
E7 Am
As one ill-wished!” said she. 
Dm F Am
And soon it seemed that something fell 
F G Am
Was starving her love for me. 

“I feel some curse. O, five were there?” 
And wanly she swerved, and went away. 
I followed sick: night numbed the air, 
And dark the mournful moorland lay. 

I cried: “O darling, turn your head!” 
But never her face I viewed; 
“O turn, O turn!” again I said, 
And miserably pursued. 


At length I came to a Christ-cross stone 
Which she had passed without discern; 
And I knelt upon the leaves there strown, 
And prayed aloud that she might turn. 

Em Am
I rose, and looked; and turn she did; 
Em Am
I cried, “My heart revives!” 
C G Am Dm
“Look more,” she said. I looked as bid; 
Am Em Am
Her face was all the five's. 

All the five women, clear come back, 
I saw in her – with her made one, 
The while she drooped upon the track, 
And her frail term seemed well-nigh run. 

She'd half forgot me in her change; 
“Who are you? Won't you say 
Who you may be, you man so strange, 
Following since yesterday?” 

I took the composite form she was, 
And carried her to an arbour small, 
Not passion-moved, but even because 
In one I could atone to all. 

Em Am Em Am
And there she lies, and there I tend, 
Dm Em
Till my life's threads unwind, 
C G Am Dm
A various womanhood in blend – 
Am Em Am
Not one, but all combined.