Beautiful Old Age Poem by David Herbert Lawrence

Beautiful Old Age

Rating: 2.8


It ought to be lovely to be old
to be full of the peace that comes of experience
and wrinkled ripe fulfilment.

The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
lived undaunted and unsoured with accepted lies
they would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins
in their old age.

Soothing, old people should be, like apples
when one is tired of love.
Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft
stillness and satisfaction of autumn.

And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! -

And a young man should think: By Jove
my father has faced all weathers, but it's been a life!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Daniel Tait 03 September 2012

Very good poem. A real classic.

4 11 Reply
Stanton Hager 12 November 2012

Lawrence writes out of a young man's fantastic naievte and cultural idealism of old age. Old myself, I know hundreds of the elderly, none of whom think their aged state soothing or fragrant or wonderful-none who would not be young again.

6 9 Reply

How beautifully the great poem written this poem of old age is amazing to think. The naturality and comprehension and attitude of the son and daughter and also the relatives to an old man or woman is really must be of affection and love and admitting their experience of life journey. It is clearly stated in this poem.

5 4 Reply
Paul Merrigan 30 March 2018

As I age, I think only of the mistakes I have made and the wrong choices and regret that I did not live up to my great promise.

3 1 Reply
Anya Tindall 19 March 2018

It’s lovely how old age is compared with harvest time and ripe fruit.

2 1 Reply
John Minichiello 02 May 2017

You left out a line of the poem! ! ! ! What's the point of being a poetry website if you can't make sure that you're publishing the complete poem! Very shoddy work, if you ask me. BTW, the line is if people lived without accepting lies in the middle of the second stanza.

5 3 Reply
Nick Kler 26 February 2017

Nothing like journey of life. Beautiful! !

3 1 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 07 October 2014

Soothing old people should be like apples. Beautifully written poem shared on.

4 4 Reply
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David Herbert Lawrence

David Herbert Lawrence

Nottinghamshire / England
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