Warning
By Jenny Joseph
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 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 row 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.
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 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 row 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.
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.
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Jenny Joseph’s “Warning” is a dramatic poem which
expresses emotion to describe something. The poem describes the life of old
people which is unhappy. Old people act like children because the lack of fun.
They must follow social rules so people can accept them. They cannot enjoy
their life because they grow older and they are not as strong as young people. Through
the poem, Jenny tries to tell people that although responsibilities and
commitments must be obeyed, people need a time to enjoy their life and live in
a life they wish, even when they get older.
In detail, the poem is telling about old people’s life
and they don’t like it. The first stanza is telling about some things that old people
do. They wear purple and red hat which is a symbol of the
change from the responsibility of life to the happier life of the
elderly. They live
in a simple way. They are weak as they are old, so they cannot do many
things. They use stick or wheelchair to
help them to do activities. They spend the days by enjoying the nature and writing some notes for their children. They are wise
and always advise younger people. Second stanza tells how older people must
follow social rule. They must look nice and authoritative to everyone. They
must be good models, wise, and respected to
younger people. They must stay in social rules whether they like it or not.
They must because they need to be accepted to the sociality. Third stanza shows
that the author of the poem needs to prepare herself to live in her old age.
She was thirty when she wrote the poem.
There are two figurative of the poem. The first is irony. It is shown on
the meaning of the poem. The first stanza is telling about how old people’s
life is peaceful and happy. But the second and third stanza shows that their
life is not fun as it seems. The old people must follow social standard in
order to make them acceptable in the sociality. The second figurative is
symbol. It is shown in the first stanza line 1 and 2 “When I am an old woman I
shall wear purple
With a red hat . . .” As explained above, it is a symbol of the changing of life when people get old.
With a red hat . . .” As explained above, it is a symbol of the changing of life when people get old.
Some words or phrases in this poem contain dennotative and connotative
meanings. “Make up for the sobriety of my youth” mean that old people must speak about
good and wise things to advise and support young people. ”Clothes that keep us dry” means that old people must keep their behavior for
they are examples for young people. “Practice” in line 1 of the third stanza,
means that the author should prepare herself to be an old woman.
There are four imageries of the poem: visual, tactile, kinesthetic of
movement, and kinesthetic of feeling. “Old woman”, “purple”, “red hat”, “summer
gloves”, “rain”,
“gardens”, “hoard pens and pencils” are
visual imagery. “Satin sandals” is tactile imagery. “Sit down”, “press alarm bells”, “gobble
up”, “pick flowers”, “eat”, “pay our rent”, “set a good
example”, “practice” are imagery of kinesthetic of movement. “Sobriety”, “shocked and surprised” is
imagery of kinesthetic of feeling.
3 comments:
Hello
This poem is very funny and cool at the same time!😊
It is a good poem if seen in an islamic view.It conveys a good message upon respect of grand parents.
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