I met an old woman
Talking by herself
Down a lonely road.
Talking to herself,
Laughing all the time,
Talking to herself
Down a country road.
Child, you cannot know
Why folks talk alone.
Talking by herself
Down a lonely road.
Talking to herself,
Laughing all the time,
Talking to herself
Down a country road.
Child, you cannot know
Why folks talk alone.
If the road be long
And travellers none,
A man talks to himself
If showers of sorrows
Fall down like arrows
The lone wayfarer
May talk by himself.
So an old woman
On lone country roads,
Laughing all the time,
May babble to herself
To keep the tears away.
Woman, you are sad!
'Tis the same with me
This is a sad poem, expressing a pathetic sense of loneliness. The poet begins the poem by introducing himself in the first person and goes on to tell a story about an experience he has had. It seems to be an experience of little importance, but the fact the poet is telling the story obviously means it has a great effect on him.
He tells us of an old woman he met on the road. He doesn't know her. He simply hears her talk. The many repetitions of words and phrases such as ''talking to herself','' ''road'' emphasises how lonely she is.
Line 8-11 The poet turns his attention to us and addresses us as ''child''. This gives us the impression that the poet is of age and apparently has authority to speak on matters of life. He simply observes that no one really knows why a person will talk to himself on a long road.
He explains that loneliness and sorrow are the reason why a man would talk alone and same reasons applies to “an old woman ''To keep the tears away.” In the last line, he ironically comforts himself with the knowledge that he is not alone in his loneliness.
The poet reveals that loneliness is as a result of peoples' coping mechanism. In their bid to cope with sadness, they create loneliness, thus creating more sadness. Therefore, through his own experience and through his observations of others, the poet is able to reveal a life truth to his readers, that loneliness is not a solution to sadness.
And travellers none,
A man talks to himself
If showers of sorrows
Fall down like arrows
The lone wayfarer
May talk by himself.
So an old woman
On lone country roads,
Laughing all the time,
May babble to herself
To keep the tears away.
Woman, you are sad!
'Tis the same with me
Poem Analysis
This is a sad poem, expressing a pathetic sense of loneliness. The poet begins the poem by introducing himself in the first person and goes on to tell a story about an experience he has had. It seems to be an experience of little importance, but the fact the poet is telling the story obviously means it has a great effect on him.
He tells us of an old woman he met on the road. He doesn't know her. He simply hears her talk. The many repetitions of words and phrases such as ''talking to herself','' ''road'' emphasises how lonely she is.
Line 8-11 The poet turns his attention to us and addresses us as ''child''. This gives us the impression that the poet is of age and apparently has authority to speak on matters of life. He simply observes that no one really knows why a person will talk to himself on a long road.
He explains that loneliness and sorrow are the reason why a man would talk alone and same reasons applies to “an old woman ''To keep the tears away.” In the last line, he ironically comforts himself with the knowledge that he is not alone in his loneliness.
The poet reveals that loneliness is as a result of peoples' coping mechanism. In their bid to cope with sadness, they create loneliness, thus creating more sadness. Therefore, through his own experience and through his observations of others, the poet is able to reveal a life truth to his readers, that loneliness is not a solution to sadness.
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