Beeny Cliff - Thomas Hardy
A Reminiscence of Love amid the Cliffs of Cornwall
O the opal and the sapphire of that wandering western sea,
And the woman riding high above with bright hair flapping free--
The woman whom I loved so, and who loyally loved me.
The pale mews plained below us, and the waves seemed far away
In a nether sky, engrossed in saying their ceaseless babbling say,
As we laughed light-heartedly aloft in that clear-sunned March day.
A little cloud then cloaked us, and there flew an irised rain,
And the Atlantic dyed its levels with a dull misfeatured stain,
And then the sun burst out again, and purples prinked the main.
--Still in all its chasmal beauty bulks old Beeny to the sky,
And shall she and I not go there once again now March is nigh,
And the sweet things said in that March say anew there by and by?
What if still in chasmal beauty looms that wild weird western shore,
The woman now is—elsewhere—whom the ambling pony bore,
And nor knows nor cares for Beeny, and will laugh there nevermore.
Thomas Hardy’s “Beeny Cliff” captures a moment in time when the poet and his beloved traversed the coastal cliffs of Cornwall. The imagery is vivid and evocative: an open sea that shimmers with opal and sapphire hues, birds calling far below, and a sudden change in weather. These details highlight both the beauty and the unpredictability of the natural world. The woman at the center of the poem appears fearless and free, riding with her hair streaming in the wind. Their shared laughter suggests a season of warmth and intimacy, symbolized by the bright March sunlight.
The poem’s central tension arises from the passage of time and the loss that accompanies it. The speaker recalls the cherished memory of this outing while noting how the woman is now forever removed—“elsewhere”—implying death or an irreversible separation. Hardy juxtaposes the immutability of Beeny Cliff, “in all its chasmal beauty,” with the impermanence of human relationships. Though nature endures, the vibrant scene they once inhabited together has vanished into memory. The final stanza underscores that the woman can no longer return to this setting of shared joy.
In its nuanced reflection, “Beeny Cliff” reveals Hardy’s deep attachment to place. The Cornish coast stands as a testament to past happiness, even as time and fate have altered human circumstances. Hardy thus creates a poignant layering of personal loss over a panoramic view of cliffs and sea. This approach underscores a frequent Hardy theme: the intersection of personal sorrow and nature’s indifferent persistence. While the poet grapples with the ache of separation, the cliffs remain unchanged—a reminder of both the power of memory and the relentless march of time. Ultimately, the poem serves as both an elegy to lost love and a testament to the landscapes that shaped Hardy’s imagination and emotional life.
Key points
1. Hardy contrasts the rugged permanence of nature with the transience of human relationships.
2. The sudden shifts in weather symbolize the unpredictability of life and love.
3. Vivid coastal imagery underscores how memories can cling to specific landscapes.
4. The poem highlights Hardy’s characteristic themes of loss, longing, and the indifference of the natural world.
