Old Age by Edith Nesbit (1902)
The poem explores the speaker's fear of growing old and losing their youthful vitality. The ghosts of old age whisper to the speaker that their youth is dying, and that they will eventually lose all that makes life worth living. The speaker wonders if it's better to die young rather than outlive their soul. However, with the dawn's arrival, the speaker hears the sun's reassuring voice, which claims that old age only comes to those who invite it, and that youthful dreams can continue to nourish one in old age as long as they are cherished.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1902 · Genre: Fiction, Drama, Psychological · 328 words
First lines
Between the midnight and the morn / When wake the weary heart and head, / Troops of gray ghosts from lands forlorn / Keep tryst about my sleepless bed.
I hear their cold, thin voices say: / "Your youth is dying; by-and-by / All that makes up your life to-day, / Withered by age, will shrink and die!"
What this Textopian page supports
Old Age is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Drama, Psychological, Social Commentary
- Length: 328 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Old Age by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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Genres
- Fiction — The narrative is a constructed story.
- Drama — The narrative contains dramatic elements and conflicts.
- Psychological — The narrative explores the psychological state of the characters.
- Social Commentary — The narrative comments on societal norms and expectations.
Tags
Aging · Social Commentary · Satire · Humor · British Literature · Classic Fiction · Short Story · Old Age Pensions · Poverty · Societal Pressures · Government Policies · Elderly Protagonist