I have always remembered the first line of this. And loved purple. M then husband upholstered our huge couch in purple velour in 1970. I evolved over the years, ended up living near my son and his family for my declining health years. I fell down porch steps taking my 119 lb dearest companion, Jamie out for his walk. I broke my right wrist, panicked since I am a quilter. They asked me what color cast I wanted, yup, Purple! I am 74 now and only working with bright colored fabric especially purples. Perfect purple for these very difficult last couple of years we have been going through.
Love this! I am a Red Hat Queen.....thank you Jenny Joseph for this fabulous poem, that inspired a whole generation of women of a certain age to wear purple and red! Your poem has brought fun and happiness to many of us.
So sorry for your loss Olivia. This poem was read at my best friends funeral to-day, made people smile and my friend would have laughed! I'm sure you'll read it beautifully, God bless, take care, xxxx
No such thing as young or old... It's just you are here. Then your not.... Life is easy when you know... Life is about striping away.. Not gathering to you.. Look at short movie. The spiritual cicada. You will see the truth of all things in that moment of transformation.... Loce
Fantastic! Thank you for posting! This is a definite share... how special to have Jenny Joseph read her own poem. Be well to all of us Lipstick Warriors! 💋
I just love this poem. Having the author read it is wonderful. She reads it exactly how I've heard it in my mind (minus the British accent). Wonderful poem! Wonderful way to look at aging...and the freedom is can create.
my favorite poem! And a real treat to hear Jenny reading it herself. I made a tapestry of the poem that hangs in my hallway a few years ago that kept my hands busy when quitting smoking. Looking at it reminds me how well I did and not to take life too seriously!
Friends at art group showed me your poem, it was great thinking someone could be so brave and do those daft things. We all get a little muddled from time to time and do not always wish to conform to standards. Be a happy pensioner and make everyone smile.
I just read this to a friend and was not only delighted to discover this video, but very pleased that my reading was nearly identical to hers. I just wish that, y'know, she'd worn a lovely purple frock and odd red hat for the reading. Makes me wonder if she really turned out as she envisioned she would when she wrote it as a young woman.
@AdrienneMarks The sound is fine on the video and on TH-cam, Adrienne - must be a problem at your end. She does read it beautifully, so I'm sorry you weren't able to hear that.
She is old there but not wearing purple. I wanted this read at my mothers funeral but was voted down at the last minute. Her friend who was going to read it dressed in purple.
I found this poem in a thrift store, in a purple frame! I gave it to a woman friend, for her 75th birthday. We decided that it was written at an earlier time, when women worried about wearing red and purple, because now in the town we live, the girls have purple hair and do swear in the streets.
I realize this is an old post but I was just thinking of this poem (I had it on a poster and can't find it) so thanks for posting this-love it! p,s I am old and I love wearing purple!
It's been a thousand years alone in this deep pit planing my great return to chaos. My plans of destruction carefully later out... But you made me see life and love and even homer too... So on my return no need to fear. ..i shall be the dragon in your garden picking your flowers not in hate but in love.... ☺
It is an amusing and poignant poem about old age but sadly, these days, such eccentric behaviour would get someone sectioned and banged-up very quickly.
I lost my Granny a week ago. She always read this to us so we are going to read this at her funeral 💜
So sorry for your loss 🙁
I have always remembered the first line of this. And loved purple. M then husband upholstered our huge couch in purple velour in 1970. I evolved over the years, ended up living near my son and his family for my declining health years. I fell down porch steps taking my 119 lb dearest companion, Jamie out for his walk. I broke my right wrist, panicked since I am a quilter. They asked me what color cast I wanted, yup, Purple! I am 74 now and only working with bright colored fabric especially purples. Perfect purple for these very difficult last couple of years we have been going through.
This is brilliant in a way that can only be truly appreciated by those who have made PLANS for when they are old.
RIP Jenny Joseph, you wrote a great poem that will help many go us become relaxed old ladies XX
Good on you... I prefer to be a crazy old man on the outside and Christ himself on the inside..
Poets don't always read their work very performatively or captivatingly, but she does. This is the best reading I've heard of this legendary piece.
This was read at a friend's funeral yesterday, first time I'd heard it. It summed up my friend beautifully it was a favourite of hers
Honestly the best poem i ever read. What an amazing woman. ❤
Love this! I am a Red Hat Queen.....thank you Jenny Joseph for this fabulous poem, that inspired a whole generation of women of a certain age to wear purple and red! Your poem has brought fun and happiness to many of us.
I lost my Nan yesterday and this was our favourite poem, I will be reading it out at her funeral ❤
So sorry for your loss Olivia. This poem was read at my best friends funeral to-day, made people smile and my friend would have laughed! I'm sure you'll read it beautifully, God bless, take care, xxxx
It's not about waiting to be old. It's about being a bit more fun when we are young.
This poem was read at my Auntie's funeral last year. It is very my Aunty S. 💖💖💖
This was my Mum's favourite poem which was read out by my brother at her funeral. Makes me think of her everytime I read or hear it x
I'm inspired! I shall wear purple, and pink, and yellow, and any other colour that catches my fancy.... BEFORE I grow old!
+Priye Iyalla-Amadi - but of course :)
No such thing as young or old... It's just you are here. Then your not.... Life is easy when you know... Life is about striping away.. Not gathering to you.. Look at short movie. The spiritual cicada. You will see the truth of all things in that moment of transformation.... Loce
Fantastic! Thank you for posting! This is a definite share... how special to have Jenny Joseph read her own poem. Be well to all of us Lipstick Warriors! 💋
Lovely. Poetry is nothing more than a transfer of emotion.
The inland sea is my favourite poem 💙 💕 love is a splendid thing and Jenny knows it well 😊
I read this at my mother's funeral, I'd giving her a copy for her 50th, because the minute I read it I thought of her.
I just love this poem. Having the author read it is wonderful. She reads it exactly how I've heard it in my mind (minus the British accent). Wonderful poem! Wonderful way to look at aging...and the freedom is can create.
Great Poem. Thanks for sharing
The best 👌 poet I have ever read 📚 well cool 😎 awesome 👌 jenny
A lovely reading, made special by being the author. She has a certain something and I bet she would be a marvellous lady to know.
I find this poem quite moving.
makes me cry
One of my favorite poems! Love seeing her read it, she brings out so much meaning! People who love this poem should look up Birches by Robert Frost
I had birches last year in my English course at school💜
RIP Jenny. Love your poem.
my favorite poem! And a real treat to hear Jenny reading it herself. I made a tapestry of the poem that hangs in my hallway a few years ago that kept my hands busy when quitting smoking. Looking at it reminds me how well I did and not to take life too seriously!
Iconic and timeless
What a beautiful piece.#inspiring
Rest In Peace to a beautiful person and amazing poet 🤍
Friends at art group showed me your poem, it was great thinking someone could be so brave and do those daft things. We all get a little muddled from time to time and do not always wish to conform to standards. Be a happy pensioner and make everyone smile.
I have always loved this poem. It's so damn punky!
RIP Jenny. Thank you for your lovely poem. (Jenny Joseph died on 8th January 2018)
I just read this to a friend and was not only delighted to discover this video, but very pleased that my reading was nearly identical to hers. I just wish that, y'know, she'd worn a lovely purple frock and odd red hat for the reading. Makes me wonder if she really turned out as she envisioned she would when she wrote it as a young woman.
Purrpussful-she's not old yet! You'll understand that some day. The older I get, the older "old" becomes.
Awesome! I've loved this since I was little. I'll be doing this when I'm old.
When I am 96, I intend to have a cane, and if anyone pisses me off, whack them on the shin with it:)
Great poem that inspires....and always makes me smile
Thank you, this has been added to our playlists...
Well I wear my onesie to the Co-op :)
I never heard of this poet until I got her book when I am an old Woman I shall wear purtle.
She was the model for the Columbia pictures logo.
@@cyclops8238HOLY SHIT😮
This poem was great in edexcel English Lit paper 2!!!
@AdrienneMarks The sound is fine on the video and on TH-cam, Adrienne - must be a problem at your end. She does read it beautifully, so I'm sorry you weren't able to hear that.
Wonderful!
superb
Such a great poem 😊
Wish she'd worn a purple shirt and red beret. :D Love the poem.
love her
She is old there but not wearing purple. I wanted this read at my mothers funeral but was voted down at the last minute. Her friend who was going to read it dressed in purple.
She wrote this when she was 29.
Awesome poem
I found this poem in a thrift store, in a purple frame! I gave it to a woman friend, for her 75th birthday. We decided that it was written at an earlier time, when women worried about wearing red and purple, because now in the town we live, the girls have purple hair and do swear in the streets.
I realize this is an old post but I was just thinking of this poem (I had it on a poster and can't find it) so thanks for posting this-love it! p,s I am old and I love wearing purple!
Thank you. Old posts can be the best. This is one we hope will last the test of time - being *about* the test of time in many ways,
RIP Jenny Joseph.
I got this poster ever morning I come out my room and read it
I'm not old
I wasn't born wen she made this po
Man, I kinda have a newfound appreciation for poetry
i loveeee helena bonham carter's reading of this
that's great !
now i'm old I wear what I like
A lady in Southport did wear purple, known as the Purple Lady
Why wasn't she wearing purple....?
;)
+Heidi Anne Morris - Maybe she's not old yet.
raisinh2k11 ;O) that's what I thought too
:-)
+Heidi Anne Morris She's far too 'young' still :)
Your not truly old until you can't remember yesterday!
Why do I feel like crying?
A lady in Southport did wear purple
Awwwwwwwww
LOVE THIS ! just a little sad that she didn't took this occasion to wear purple...
yes! So moving and wonderful! Though i do wonder why this was posted in 2010 and the description says she died in 2018...creepy
No creepiness intended Emmi. It was just that we felt that we needed to update the description after Jenny's death.
Bloodaxe Books ohhhhhh okay I get it now
I a Red Hat Queen and I do a reading of this with props! Pretty funny!
Sth great
"La muerte de la lengua inglesa" de Myriam Moscona me trajo a este video. ✌✨
One of the lines was: ‘I shall go out in my slippers in the rain’
Am I the only person who’s actually done that before? ;-;
jenny
It's been a thousand years alone in this deep pit planing my great return to chaos. My plans of destruction carefully later out... But you made me see life and love and even homer too... So on my return no need to fear. ..i shall be the dragon in your garden picking your flowers not in hate but in love.... ☺
deception and torment... these spirits were cast in swine
She should have worn purple with a red hat which doesn't go!
You need to listen to the poem to understand!
+Deborah Singh-Bhatti Maybe she thought she isn't old enough to do it yet. :)
+Deborah Singh-Bhatti - No, she's still practising :)
She's not wearing purple because she's NOT old yet!!!
I am going to start wearing purple with pride. Watch out when i start gobbling up free samples in shops and start dancing in the street.
Lady in Southport actually done it
I call
Reminds me of mud pies
So deliciously wonderful.
Love this poem! Exactly what I want to do right now before I get too old to enjoy all that lack of decorum
Me too Audrey, me too, it is adorable and I read it out to my mum.
Kaye Sims I love it Kaye it made me laugh.
It is an amusing and poignant poem about old age but sadly, these days, such eccentric behaviour would get someone sectioned and banged-up very quickly.
It's scandal. She doesn't wear purple!
Wow. Four noobs at life disliked this. Shame.
she howls lightly. her voice raps. her tone flat. her presentation as if she gonna divorce some one.
I agree. It’s a horrid ‘poem’ read terribly. No idea why people think it’s great. It’s not.
Jenny Joseph Was The Columbia Pictures' Woman
Poem for the young. Why wait.