Old Susan Poem by Walter de la Mare

Old Susan

Rating: 2.7


When Susan's work was done, she'd sit
With one fat guttering candle lit,
And window opened wide to win
The sweet night air to enter in;
There, with a thumb to keep her place
She'd read, with stern and wrinkled face.
Her mild eyes gliding very slow
Across the letters to and fro,
While wagged the guttering candle flame
In the wind that through the window came.
And sometimes in the silence she
Would mumble a sentence audibly,
Or shake her head as if to say,
"You silly souls, to act this way!"
And never a sound from night I'd hear,
Unless some far-off cock crowed clear;
Or her old shuffling thumb should turn
Another page; and rapt and stern,
Through her great glasses bent on me,
She'd glance into reality;
And shake her round old silvery head,
With--"You!--I thought you was in bed!"--
Only to tilt her book again,
And rooted in Romance remain.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Lesley 15 July 2020

All of our class was told to learn some of this poem by heart. As I knew I would be at the dentist when the class were being tested, I didn’t bother. The next week I was reprimanded and had to learn double. That was almost 60 years ago and I still remember it.

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William Jones 21 February 2005

Interesting poem, I truly do enjoy Walter de la Mare to the fullest, his poetry is truly amazing and I cannot wait to start reading his short tales and full novels.

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