David Herbert Lawrence (1885 - 1930), novelist, short-story writer, poet and essayist, was born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England, . Though better known as a novelist, Lawrence's first-published works (in 1909) were poems, and his poetry, especially his evocations of the natural world, have since had a significant influence on many poets.

His novels were a continual source of controversy, often involved in widely-publicised censorship cases, most famously for his novel Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928).

Lawrence was a rebellious and profoundly polemical writer with radical views, who regarded sex, the primitive subconscious, and nature as cures to what he considered the evils of modern industrialized society....

This charming wistful poem written by Lawrence in 1928 surely asserts his belief that facing up to life's trials and tribulations with an unblinkered honesty will leave us all the more at peace with ourselves in old age.. He had certainly lived his often troubled life that way.
Alas he was never able to live out his theory fully as he himself was to die at the young age of 44 from a lifelong affliction of tuberculosis...heres the link to the page with this sound poem....
Beautiful old age by D H Lawrence 1885 - 1930 (sound poem set to music)


Regards.

Jim Clark
PS..Dont forget you can if you prefer listen to my sound poems at my Yahoo "sound poetry" web group (look in "files") heres that link
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloozman_uk/

All rights are reserved on this sound recording/copyright/patent Jim Clark 2003

Beautiful old age

Beautiful Old Age
It ought to be lovely to be old
To be full of the peace that comes of experience
And wrinkled, ripe fulfillment.

The wrinkled smile of completeness that follows a life
Lived undaunted and unsoured with accepted lies.

If people lived without accepting lies
They would ripen like apples, and be scented like pippins
In their old age.

Soothing, old people should be, like apples
When one is tired of love
Fragrant like yellowing leaves, and dim with the soft
Stillness and satisfaction of autumn.

And a girl should say:
It must be wonderful to live and grow old.
Look at my mother, how rich and still she is! -

And a young man should think: By Jove
My father has faced all weathers, but it's been a life!