When I am an old woman I shall wear purple.

A nostalgic moment! Today I came across an article on Facebook leading to a photo of Queen Elizabeth II wearing purple. As my mom got older she loved a poem that’s called “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple”

I am seeing that the Queen is also a lover of purple, I wonder if she has learned to spit.

The poem that my Mom had on her wall follows. I hope you enjoy it. I have a tear in my eye as I write this post, My Mom passed away in 1998. That was a sad moment. The poem below defines my mother’s attitude and life during her final years.

I share her sentiments!

 

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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 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 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.

 

Taken from the book
When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple
Editd by Sandra Martz
Papier Mache Press–Watsonville, California 1987

 

I found a copy of the poem at https://www.luvzbluez.com/purple.html where  I also found some other words to live by!

 

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WHEN I’M A LITTLE OLD LADY

When I’m a little old lady
Then I’ll live with my children
and bring them great joy.
To repay all I’ve had
from each girl and boy

I shall draw on the walls
and scuff up the floor;
Run in and out
without closing the door.
I’ll hide frogs in the pantry,
socks under my bed.

Whenever they scold me,
I’ll hang my head.

I’ll run and I’ll romp,
always fritter away
The time to be spent
doing chores every day.

I’ll pester my children
when they are on the phone.

As long as they’re busy
I won’t leave them alone.

Hide candy in closets,
rocks in a drawer,
And never pick up my clothes
from the floor.

Dash off to the movies
and not wash a dish.

I’ll plead for allowance
whenever I wish.

I’ll stuff up the plumbing
and deluge the floor.
As soon as they’ve mopped it,
I’ll flood it some more.

When they correct me,
I’ll lie down and cry,
Kicking and screaming,
not a tear in my eye.

I’ll take all their pencils
and flashlights, and then
When they buy new ones,
I’ll take them again.

I’ll spill glasses of milk
to complete every meal,
Eat my banana and
just drop the peel.

Put toys on the table,
spill jam on the floor,
I’ll break lots of dishes
as though I were four.

What fun I shall have,
what joy it will be to
Live with my children….
the way they lived with me!

~author unknown~