Thursday, March 22, 2007
thought y'all could use some culture
So I found a poem for you. It's by Jenny Joseph, but I can really relate to it, so just imagine my voice reading it to you. If you've never heard my voice before, imagine James Earl Jones. We sound pretty similar.
Warning
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandlas, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm 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 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 pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats 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.
Warning
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandlas, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm 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 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 pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats 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.
5 comments:
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LOL...my mom has this poem in her kitchen. I've always liked it!
Is she a member of the Red Hat Society? My mom has a poem in her kitchen that says, "He loves me, he loves me not. It matters little. I'm what he's got."
This poem actually pre-dates the Red Hat Society. My grandmother had this hanging in her house when I was growing up. In fact, when she passed away last spring we buried her in a bright red hat. It was very fitting.
When are you coming to NY? Your future husband (his name is Larry) probably won't be here, but I feel that now that you have a Pei Wei the cosmic connection is even more complete, and it is only a matter of time before the stars and planets align, the universe comes into perfect syncronicity and fate allows you to be in the same place at the same time.
Or something...
When are you coming to NY? Your future husband (his name is Larry) probably won't be here, but I feel that now that you have a Pei Wei the cosmic connection is even more complete, and it is only a matter of time before the stars and planets align, the universe comes into perfect syncronicity and fate allows you to be in the same place at the same time.
Or something...
Jenny Joseph (born 7 May 1932) is an English poet.
Her first collection of poetry was published in 1960. 'Warning', ("When I am an old woman I shall wear purple".... ), was the inspiration for the Red Hat Society.
Her first collection of poetry was published in 1960. 'Warning', ("When I am an old woman I shall wear purple".... ), was the inspiration for the Red Hat Society.
I can't wait to be old!