Two neighboring crones, antique and gray,
Together talk’d at close of day
One said with brow of wrinkled care,
“Life’s cup, at first was sweet and fair,
On our young lips, with laughter gay,
Its cream of brimming nectar lay,
But vapid then it grew and stale,
And tiresome as a twice-told tale,
And so in weary age and pain
Its bitter dregs alone remain”
The other with contented eye,
Laid down her work and made reply:
“Yes, Life was sweet at morning tide,
Yet when the foam and sparkle died,
More rich, methought, and purer too
Its well-concocted essence grew,
Even now, though low its spirit drains,
And little in the cup remains,
There’s sugar at the bottom still,
And we may taste it, if we will.
This poem by Sigourney has a rhyme scheme in the form of a couplet stanza — two consecutive lines of poetry that typically rhyme and have the same meter. It looks like AA, BB, AA, CC, DD, EE, FF, GG, DD, HH.
The Difference in the Two Old Women’s Thoughts about Aging
The poem describes two completely different visions of life. One woman considers her age to be a period of wilting and resignation. There is no future for her anymore; all the joys of life are in the past. Now only fatigue and sadness from old age await her humbly. The second woman gratefully accepts this stage of life. She is ready to plunge into the well-deserved calmness and come to terms with the state of affairs. She sees the path of life as an adventure with a good ending to be enjoyed. Comparison with sugar at the bottom represents many good things to come at the end of the journey. With the past years comes the wealth of the spirit and the understanding of the value of the soul. All that is superfluous is removed, but the purest remains. The first woman cannot understand that each stage of life has unique wisdom and should be accepted only with heartfelt gratitude.
The poem is aimed at a philosophical understanding of the value of life and the onset of old age. The inevitability of this process can be very frightening, which is normal. Sullen resignation and bitter complaints are not the best way to cope with the fast pace of time. Only inner harmony and a willingness to see the bright sides can get rid of the constant feeling of sadness about missed opportunities. Fortunately, there is still life to explore this philosophy of happiness.