Bob Mezey did a great Selected Hardy for Penguin, the best I've seen, about 150 poems. That's where I discovered Proud Songsters, and I think the bestids let it go out of print! Roger, I think the shared virtues are earthiness and profound empathy for the people of their respective countrysides. I believe Hardy was a profound influence on Frost, Ransom, and Robinson here, and on Auden and Larkin Over There. And that is a measure of his greatness. Gail, that's hysterical in a very sad way. Here is my birthday poem. Not very Hardyesque:
Turning Sixty
I turned sixteen not very long ago
and thought "Ski!" when I shoveled heavy snow.
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