Poor old lady, set her aside -- Her children are grown, and her work is done; True, in their service, her locks turned gray, But shove her away, unsought, alone. Give her a home, for decency's sake, In some back room, far out of the way, Where her tremulous voice cannot be heard -- It might check your mirth when you would be gay. Strive to forget how she toiled for you And cradled you oft on her loving breast -- Told you stories and joined your play, Many an hour when she needed rest. No matter for that -- huddle her off; Your friends might wince at her witty jest; She is too old-fashioned, and speaks so plain -- Get her out of the way of the coming guest. Once you valued her cheerful voice, Her hearty laugh and her merry song; But to ears polite they are quite too loud -- Her jokes too sharp, her tales too long. So, poor old lady, hustle her off -- In her cheerless room let her sit alone; She must not meet with your guests tonight, For her children are grown and her work is done. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOURTH BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 18 by THOMAS CAMPION ETHELSTAN: RUNILDA'S CHANT by GEORGE DARLEY UNCLE ANANIAS by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON AT BETHLEHEM: 1. THE CHILD by JOHN BANISTER TABB EPIGRAM by DECIMUS MAGNUS AUSONIUS EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 23. SOONER WOUNDED THAN CURED by PHILIP AYRES THE MODEST WISH by JOHN BARCLAY (1582-1621) TO A BUNCH OF GRAPES; RIPENING IN MY WINDOW by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |