Showing posts with label Poem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poem. Show all posts

20190916

The Nine Ages Of Man

I found this little gem in my Miscellaneous folder. This was from a "Readers Digest" from decades ago credited to F. Emerson Andrews in the "Saturday Review":

The Nine Ages Of Man
(A poem in one line to be read aloud)

Not old enough to know better
     "     "    "   "    "
 "   "     "    "   "  
     "     "    "   "
 "   "     "
     "     "
 "   "
     "
 " 

So, I might quibble with the ordering of the "ages," but perhaps Mr. Andrews felt constrained to begin with the first line - which contains all the words - and wasn't as concerned about 'human development' sequence.

Seems to me - and it looses some of the graphic impact - that the better sequencing would be:

Not old enough to know
       Old enough to know
Not old enough to know better
       Old enough to know better
Not old enough
       Old enough
Not old
       Old
Not

Additionally, I have a conviction that death is not, "Not" - death is not the end.

Comments, concerns, suggestions?