Thomas Hardy - On the Departure Platform

I interpreted Thomas Hardy's "On the Departure Platform" as somewhat of a sad love story. It is quite heartbreaking. The poem tells of a man, that I take is going off to war, that is leaving his woman behind. It is sad because as he sails away, he watches as the distance between them grows and she gets smaller and smaller, until she is no more.

Then show again, till I ceased to see
That flexible form, that nebulous white;
And she who was more than my life to me
Had vanished quite...."
(pg 1075, lines 13-16)

This woman was the love of his life and he was forced to leave her. He left who he loved so dearly to fight in a war. That particular stanza causes much sorrow because I know what it is like to have to leave the one that you love against your wishes. The most awful part of this poem is that the young man knows that he will see his woman again, but their love will not be the same. That love and that day will only happen once. While they may still love each other, things will never be the same. This is expressed in the following stanza.

We have penned new plans since that fair fond day,
And in season she will appear again--
Perhaps in the same soft white array--
But never as then!
(pg 1076, lines 17-20)

This is my idea of a sad love story. A couple that is so in love with each other is separated by the hate of war. Many of my favorite movies are modeled after stories of this nature. The separation is heartbreaking, but the reunion after being kept apart by distance and time is far more emotional. Love poems are my favorite. Hardy gets two thumbs up and five stars for this one.