Parallels between Mimnermos 1 (Ancient Text) and (Contemporary Song) by The Beatles
ltc-admin, 2015-03-13 12:47
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The Beatles’ song When I’m 64 details the life of a couple when they have grown old together. The song has a positive outlook on age and love, while Mimnermos and some other Greek poets have the opposite viewpoint. In Mimnermos’ first poem he describes age as ‘agonizing’, that it would make a man ‘unrecognizable’. Age is a theme in love poetry that is timeless, regardless of how it it viewed.
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When I get older losing my hair,
Many years from now.
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine.
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four
You’ll be older too,
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you.
I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday morning go for a ride,
Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four
Every summer we can rent a cottage,
In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck and Dave
Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me.
When I’m sixty-four
Listen to the song:
When I’m 64