Poems of the Past and the Present

Poems of the Past and the Present is the second collection of poems by English poet Thomas Hardy and was published in 1901. A wide-ranging collection, divided into five headings, it contains some of Hardy's most powerful and lasting poetic contributions. Main Summary of the Poem Past and Present. The poem 'I Remember I Remember' is written by Thomas Hood. The poem is in first-person narration, and it consists of four stanzas. In each stanza, the poet compares his present adulthood life with his past childhood days. Poetry is believed to have originated from ancient rituals and chants used for storytelling purposes when performing religious ceremonies or rites of passage such as weddings or funerals.