Poem : The old woman.

The poem Old Woman was written by Joseph John Campbell. He was an American my Mythologist, writer and lecturer. He was known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion.

In this poem poet say about the old woman. He say that her old face express about all her life's journey. This poem have three stanza and each stanza has four line.

The poem is a gem of simplicity. Poet has very finely praised the beauty of an old woman. It is very easy to see beauty in young woman but it need understanding and imagination to see the beauty of the old age. Here the poet skillfully represents her beauty by her comparing her with natural elements.

In the first stanza poet compares the lady with a white candle. He says that white candle In a holy place gives a light. It gives the guidance to the person who comes in there life.

As a white candle

In a holy place.

Her face is compared with white candle. Her face shine like the light of candle. And that lady guides other her family members and people who are younger then her by the wide experience of her life.

In a second stanza poet talked about the life span of her. Her wide experience is compared with the winter sun. Here the poet has used the word spent radiance for her.

As a spent radiance 

Of the Winter sun.

Poet compare her face with winter sun. That means the passing of the time. He talked about the traveling of the sun and then he compared it with the passing of the lady's traveling. She gets more and more experience as her life pass. All her experience teach her something her in life like spent radiance.

In the third stanza poet compare her with a water. Her maturity, understanding and her steadiness. The brooding goes out from her thoughts, her behavior and her speech. Her all thought are study.

As the waters

Under a ruined mill.

Simile in the poem : 

Simile is important part of the poem. We found that poet use simile in the poem.

In a first stanza he competition old woman with a white candle. He says that how the white candle give us peace in life like that the lady give peace in her family's life.

In a second stanza poet competition her life's passing time is like spent radiance of sun.

In third stanza poet compare her thought with the water. Her thoughts are study like runined mill's water.