Thursday, June 23, 2011

When I am an old woman....


When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple

with 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.

Jenny Joseph

I just finished knitting this hat, and it's my favourite ever (and I've knitted a lot of hats) I found the pattern in a magazine, and knew I had to make it.

14 comments:

  1. Looks like that'll be a while away then Joanne! Great hat though!!!!

    Happy Thursday

    Kathyk

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great poem and a great hat! xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. You had me worried then, I hadnt realised until the end that it was a poem!

    Super hat! Now if it's rainproof it will be a sell out in the shops this summer I reckon!!

    Keryn x

    ReplyDelete
  4. FAB hat! Great poem.. not heard it in a long time! I am looking forward to rebelling!!!!! hehe..xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Joanne, this poem is my aunty's anthem. For her 70th birthday, it was the theme of the party. :-) Your hat is gorgeous, I wish I could knit like that!
    Michelle.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great hat...great poem, I've not seen it for a while and it gave me a smile! I love a glimpse into my future!! Just for the record, I have to say that this hat suits you perfectly!! x

    ReplyDelete
  7. lol here Joanne! :) your hat is awesome and thanks for the smile this morning-

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great hat! I had to laugh at you using this poem as my SIL is having a party next month for her 60th and we have to wear purple with red hats!! x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ha ha ha... that made me laugh so hard... brilliant!!
    You look so good in purple with your red hat :D
    I'm old already so gonna have to work my way through that list..lol

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the good laugh this morning with the poem. Hold off on the red hat society just a tad bit...but the hat is gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  11. except that the red hat does suit you. It's great.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You've a ways to go then!!! Love the hat - and this is one of my favourite poems! I'm intend to set a really bad example - when I get old :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fabulous hat - and I love the poem and agree wholeheartedly.....except I shan't just wear purple but dye my hair in a purple rinse as well, and I will hit cars with my walking stick that park too far onto pavements (just like my gran did), and I will hate the prime minister and complain that the pension isn't enough to buy food (but then spend all my money on whiskey...again just like my gran) - I am actually quite looking forward to it :)

    ReplyDelete

word verification is off! thanks for all your lovely comments, they mean so much to me!