12 OCTOBER 1991, Page 32

Ageing

Ageing is an agony.

Just white hairs, I'd thought; But now that teeth are falling out And hearing is a sort Of fought-off deafness, it seems nothing That my hair is white.

And she looks at me, she looks at me, My darling of the night As though some bitter cucumber Were sullying her sight.

Anonymous (18th century)