soulgifts – Telling Tales

A  sequel to yesterday’s post – just to round it up

When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

By Jenny Joseph

I shall wear purple even when I am not old, which I am not

‘cos I haven’t finished growing up

By Raili

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

As I am a self funded young retiree I am spending my own money

on champagne and comfortable clothes

and satin candles, and say we’ve no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired

I have hundreds of tea light candles and New Zealand organic butter

but never, ever will I sit on the pavement

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 speed drive  the shopping trolley in the supermarket

not yet have I succumbed to stick 

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

and pick the flowers in other people’s gardens

and learn to spit.

I visit the neighbours in my dressing gown and

have been known to pick her roses but never ever will I 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.

I like the crust on freshly baked bread so cut it off all the way

around – ‘cos I can

I hoard empty toilet paper rolls for that day of crafting round the corner

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.

Rent ? what’s that ? 

I have been known to let the language fly at times

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.

I don’t need to practice – I’m already awesome

and quirky, and no-one will be shocked to see me

in purple or red, or green or blue

be it my hat, my clothes or my hair