When I'm an Old Lady

Q 3. Do you think the speaker is saying all this because she resents what her kids did when they
were small, that she felt angry and that she wants to teach them a lesson or is she just relishing
memories of her motherhood days?
Answer:
I think that the speaker is saying all this because she is just relishing the memory of her
motherhood days. It is evident from the first stanza of the poem that the poet cherishes the
memories and the moments of happiness that her kids brought to her through their pranks and
mischief. She wants to rejoice them by returning the same deeds. Therefore, she plans to live with
her grown-up children when she grows old and behave like a child to them. I believe that she feels
that this attitude of hers would bring back the childhood memories of her grown-up kids and her
motherhood days to all of them.

Q 4. How would you interpret the closing comment of her kids, “She’s so sweet when she’s
sleeping”?
Answer:
The closing comment of her kids, “She’s so sweet when she’s sleeping” expresses their love for
her, in spite of all the trouble that she would cause to them. Moreover, it shows that after doing a
lot of mischiefs and annoying her kids all day long, she would fall asleep peacefully at night, just as
they did in their childhood. Her kids would express a sigh of relief, and “groan” that she looks so
sweet while sleeping, in the same way as she felt when they used to sleep quietly at night, after
giving her a tough time all day long.

Theme:
The poem, When I’m an Old Lady’ by Joanne Bailey Baxter centers upon the musings of the poet,
who wants to relive her memories of motherhood as she plans to live with her grown-up children
when she grows old and behaves a child to them.

Critical Appreciation of the Poem:

Written from the perspective of the first person singular speaker, I, the poem consists of six five
verse stanzas or quintets. Each of the quintets follows a regular rhyming pattern, with the rhyming
scheme ‘aabbc’. The poet has used the technique of enjambment, or run-on lines, throughout the
poem, in order to express the continuity of thought and create rhythm in the poem. Moreover, the
poet has employed the technique of repetition in the poem, in order to emphasize the focal point
of the poet’s thinking that she wants to live with her kids when she grows old. ‘When I'm an old
lady and live with my kids’ has been repeated at the end of every stanza of the poem in order to
highlight the main idea, all her plans are based upon.

Stanza I:
When I'm an old lady, I'll live with my kids,
and make them so happy, just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided,
returning each deed. Oh, they'll be so excited.
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

In this stanza (quintet), the poet imagines what it would be like when she would turn into an old
lady. She plans to live with her kids. She thinks of paying them back by giving them beautiful
memories to cherish, in the same way they gave her, such as happiness, mischief, and pranks. The
poet feels that her wayward behaviour would excite them. In other words, in this stanza, the poet
expresses her desire to experience the joy of childhood again and be treated, and cared for like a
child by her own kids, who would turn into grown-ups by that time.

Stanza II:
I'll write on the wall with reds, whites, and blues,
and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets, and oh, how they'll shout.
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

From this stanza (quintet) onwards, the poet lists down what she would like to do when her hair
would turn grey and she would get the opportunity to lie with her children. She would write on the
walls, jump on the furniture with shoes on, take things out of the fridge and leave them out, and
push things into the toilets. In this way, the poet expresses her desire to relive her own childhood
and that of her children, by performing childish activities and pranks. The poet has employed the
technique of alliteration of the consonant sound, ‘w’ in the first line of this stanza in order to create
rhythm and musicality in the poem.

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites, and blues,

Stanza III:
When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
and when that is done I'll hide under the bed.
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

In this stanza (quintet), the poet imagines that when they would be away, attending calls, she would
play with sugar and bleach and spill them all over the kitchen. The poet says that when her children
would be annoyed by her pranks, they would snap their fingers and toss their heads, while she
would hide under the bed. This desire of the poet also depicts her attention seeking behaviour
towards her kids, who would be busy in their own social activities, when her hair would turn grey.

Stanza IV:
When they cook dinner and call me to meals,
I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
and when they get angry, run fast as I'm able.
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

In this stanza (quintet), the poet reveals that she would tease them just as they did in their
childhood. She says that she would not consume the meals cooked for her. She would vomit the
okra, and spill the milk on the table. When they get angry, she would run as fast as possible. After all,
she would be physically weak by that time.

Stanza V:
I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud until the end of the day.
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

In this stanza (quintet), the poet says that while sitting near the television, she would keep switching
from one channel to another, and would squint both eyes to see if the channels stick. She would
take her socks off and throw one away, causing them the trouble to find them, and would play in
mud all day long. In short, she plans not to miss any opportunity to perform the same actions as her
children did in their childhood.

Stanza VI:
And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
and thank God in prayer and then close my eyes,
and my kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
and say with a groan. "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.)

In this stanza (quintet), the poet tells about how her day will end. She says that when she would go
to bed she would thank God before going to sleep. Her kids would come and say that she looks so
sweet when she is asleep.