When I am an old woman, I shall wear purplewith a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin candles, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
and run my stick along the public railings
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick the flowers in other people's gardens
and learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
and eat three pounds of sausages at a go
or only bread and pickles for a week
and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
and pay our rent and not swear in the street
and set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
I love this poem! Even though "40 is the new 30" (so theoretically I am 28), I am getting rather jittery about being 39 next month! I thought I would have my life in gear by now - at least in one area ...... a mortgage, career, child or real marriage. Sigh! Well, who knows, maybe by this time next year things will be different and my life really will begin at 40 - although, if 40 is the new 30 then does life now begin at 50???? Although, I do believe that age is in the mind - my mum, aged 82, often talks about "old ladies" she and my aunty, 87, talk to. Doing family tree research this week I have found another ancestor who had a child at 47 - admittedly it was not her first - but her 9th - but even so it gives me hope!!
5 comments:
Time flies isn't it...I had the same feeling earlier this week about my birthday ;-)
I love the poem too! I guess your life will be totally different when you will be 40 :-). You are so much working on it... And there's still plenty of time to do what you want to do in life!
These are the moments to think about though...milestones always make us think...
Take care. X
I have always loved this poem. 40 was a hard birthday for me, but then I went to Bingo on that night and won the jackpot, so that made it perfect! Sadly I didn't win the lottery when I turned 50, even though the big draw was on the night of my 50th and I was sure that I would win, haha. 53 is a slap in the face, but then again...I am still closer to 50 than 60. Why oh why can't time stand still???
You'll never be an old woman, you're far too young at heart :) I cant wait to be 40, it feels like a whole new start for me. It might be for you as well, new home in wales maybe, new career, a lampy of your own... ;)
I came across this poem in 1996 when I spent a two-week stay in Norcroft, a women's writing retreat in Minnesota (unfortunately, it closed several years ago). It is one of my favourite poems; I translated it into my own language (Catalan) and read it at a poetry recital on March 8 this year.
By the way, when I turned 40 --more than 20 years ago-- I felt I was in the prime of my life.
Mercè (A common reader)
(I found your blog moved by curiosity, because we have a common interest: Beatrix Potter.)
I thought of you today, oddly enough. A very soft spoken yet elegant (in a natural way) woman came in to frame an old photo from the early 1900's of her mother . She was so pleasant and youthful and well-mannered(and full of good humor) and she was 78!! She looked exactly like I hope to look and behave when(if) I get to be that age.
Tall and erect, wearing stylish clothes and here is the part that made me think of this entry of your's...wearing purple earrings and touches of lavender.
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