In March 2007 I wrote this, "The Lady Blogger's Comforts" being lifted from Robert Southey's "The Old Man's Comforts." If you've read Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll does a parody of this, "Father William."
My version, The Lady Blogger's Comforts
You are old, Lady Blogger, the young man cried,
The brown locks which are left should be grey;
You are hale, Lady Blogger, a hearty old gal,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.
In my twenties thirties, Lady Blogger replied,
I remember'd that youth would fly fast,
And abused not my health and my vigour at first,
That I never might need them at last.
You are old, Lady Blogger, the young twit cried,
And pleasures with youth pass away;
And yet you lament not the days that are gone,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.
In my forties fifties, Lady Blogger replied,
I remember'd those days could not last;
I thought of the future, whatever I did,
That I never might grieve for the past.
You are old, Lady Blogger, the rude kid cried,
And life must be hastening away;
You are cheerful, and love to write about it all,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.
I am cheerful, young man, Lady Blogger replied,
Let the cause your attention engage;
In the days of my youth I remember'd my God
And he has not forgotten my age.
The notes say that Southey wrote "Old Man's Comfort" in 1799 at the age of 24. He died when he was 70.
A hand written copy of Southey's poem is in the Morgan Library and Museum, https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/online/alice/12 and our book club in January will be reading "The Personal Librarian," about a black woman passing for white who helped build that library, Belle da Costa Greene.
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