In Time of 'Breaking of the Nations'

During war, people think that normality will disappear and 'break' but Hardy says that things won't break, but just continue to go on

- Everything will continue to carry on after war is over

Cross Ryhme

- regular passing of time

- flowing and regularity

Written during Franco-Prussian War 

Image of man ploughing

'harrowing clods'

- ploughing a field 

- shows there will always be food

'old horse'

 - been doing job for a long time

- shows lack of change 

'half asleep as they stalk'

- tradition

- routine

Bonfire and Rubbish

- there will always be something to burn

War has no effect on time 

- time will always go on

'Though Dynasties pass'

- personficiation 

- things always go forward

Young couple courting

'War's annals will cloud into night'

- metaphor

- everyone will forget 

- shows insignificance of war

Love continues, and war becomes history

-there will always be love