The Man He Killed
Thomas Hardy
1840 to 1928
Drag the words to the correct places to complete the poem. To reset the game, click on the "Reset Game" button located below the poem. This will clear all the words you've placed in the blanks, returning them to the word bank and resetting the poem to its original state with empty blanks.
"Had he and I but met
By some old ______ inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
______ many a nipperkin!
"But ranged as infantry,
And staring ______ to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.
"I shot him ______ because —
Because he was my foe,
Just so: ______ foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although
"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like — just ______ I —
Was out of work — had sold ______ traps —
No other reason why.
"Yes; quaint and ______ war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat ______ met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown."