The poem
"You are old, Father william," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head-- Do you think, at your age, it is right?
"In my youth," Father William replied to his son, "I feared it might injure the brain; But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again."
"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before, And you have grown must uncommonly fat; Yet you turned back a somersault in at the door-- Pray, what is the reason of that?"
"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his gray locks, "I kep all my limbs very supple By the use of this ointment--one shilling a box-- Allow me to sell you a couple."
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak For anything tougher than suet; Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak-- Pray, how did you manage to do it?"
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law, And argued each case with my wife; And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw, Has lasted the rest of my life."
"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose That your eyes was as steady as ever; Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose-- What made you so awfully clever?"
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough," Said his father; "don't give yourself airs! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs!"
This poem is one of Carrol's famous parodies of the 'improving' poetry forced on young people in his age. He successfully lampooned the original, and was, perhaps, too successful: Few today recall that it is parody, and fewer know the object of his derision. For the record, the poem he lampooned was "The Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them", by Robert Southey.
Yes, and he is talking to Robert Southy in the last stanza (about his preachyness).
I have read this poem a thousand times and it never gets boring,it always make me laugh.The poem shows a loving relationship between a curious little boy and his comical grandfather.
Great poem lewis!
I've always loved this poem since I was a child.
Over the years it has often trotted through my mind.
Today it reminds me of a dear friend ... but I haven't yet dared to tell him so!!
Shall I???
pls.....translate this poem in a filipino language....
para sa kin pls......
I believe the 3rd line, 3rd verse, should read:
"Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door --"
(Not "back a somersault", as it appears here.)
it is very funny to read
and always im taking this poem to analyse in all my exams