hhh

Can anyone give me the name of the author or the words to this poem? I understand that one or two respondents will have to go apoplectic over the nature of the question, but that's not a problem.

sam

Don't know the author

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 sandals, 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 railing
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 peoples 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.


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Gina

Actually, the opening line is "When I Am an Old Woman I Will Wear Purple," and the title is "Warning." It's by a woman named Jenny Joseph.

bashful

Don't know the author but here's the poem:
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 sandals, 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 railing
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 peoples 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.

Ess

Let's all wear purple right now! Then we won't all stick out as tourists in black! See, anything can be related to travel on this board.

carolyn

I saw an article in a magazine about a group of women who call themselves the Red Hats and meet periodically for tea wearing purple dresses and red hats. I tried to get a group of my friends to do this--I have a lovely red hat left over from the 60's and look terrible in purple--but so far I haven't had any joiners. Maybe a new Fodors get together?

Ess

Carolyn, I'll join your get-togther but my tea has to have a little something "extra" in it. I'm not getting dressed up just for tea.

jt

My friend and I were honored at a birthday party last weekend and the theme was the Jennie Joseph poem "Warning" this is the poem with the first line--
"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple with a red hat......." We did wear red hats, some our guests were dressed in purple and we were given gifts that were purple (candles, bath products, etc.)What a grand way to celebrate. My birthday celebration and my 30th wedding anniversary celebration continues with a trip to Western Europe in March--it's not so bad growing old!!

sandra

my mom has that framed in her living room she bought it a t gift shop in nantucket i believe. she also has an entire book of old womanisms

wombat

When I'm a Fodorite I shall wear black
With white sneakers which don't go, and don't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on souvenirs and rolls of film
And mini Eiffel Towers, and say I've no money for haggis.
I shall take off my Eccos when I'm tired
And gobble up space in the carry on bins and press my luck
And run my stick along the public transportation
And make up for not traveling in my youth.
I shall go out in my Burberry in the rain
And pick the pockets of Gypsy gangs
And learn Italian.

You can wear terrible shirts and hide them under blazers
And eat three pounds of pasta
Or only French bread and Le Big Maques for a week
And hoard soaps and napkins and matchbooks and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that dry fast
And pay our credit card bills and not sweat in coach class
And set a good example for children on long flights.
We must have friends to dinner and share our pictures.

But maybe I ought to practice my Italian now?
So fellow travelers are not too shocked or surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear crispy pink running suits.

Susan

Dear Wombat:
Loved your version!

Ess

Wombat, yours is definitely the best version! Love it!

lisa

LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS! Have never seen that poem before.

s.fowler

Lordy... I laughed out loud!
Thanks wombat ... I *needed* a laugh

hhh

This has turned out to be a refreshingly adult exchange as well an informative one. Many thanks to Sam, Gina and Bashful for their expertise and to Wombat for his/her creativity and sense of fun.

apoplectic

What ever the hell made you think this question should be posed/was appropriate for a travel board? Huh?

kk

Dearest Wombat, what an impressive effort! You've even gotten the sense of meter right. Brilliant. I much prefer your version to the purple one, IMHO.
Besides, I don't care much for purple and black is so, well, fodorite chic, yeah!!

nancy

Carolyn,
I look great in purple, but lousy in red.
Be glad to wear it and meet you, if you were in New England.

karen

I have loved the original "purple" for many years, but I now love the "Fodor's black" version just as much! Thank you, with sincere admiration, Wombat.

Louise

Thanks, hhh, you made me pull the book out of the back of my bookshelf. The book is "When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple" which is a "collection of writings and photographs" edited by Sandra Martz about the joys and sorrows of being a woman who is growing old. There are many thought provoking poems and stories, as well as some very funny ones. I think I'll open up this book tonight and read it again. I'm sure I'll find something travel related there as well.