The Wisdom of the Sentimental Old Fool
- Jan 8
- 1 min read
Reflections
The short poem The Wisdom of the Sentimental Old Fool is a defense of hope and gentleness. It argues—without apology—for seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. The speaker asks permission not from others, but from life itself, to remain sentimental.
The opening stanza frames sentimentality as wisdom rather than naïveté. The speaker has earned his living; now he now claims his right to belief. He still sees the stars dance at night—an image suggesting that wonder has survived experience.
In the middle stanza, the speaker imagines his wishes for the years ahead. The thatch-roofed cottage, warm fire, loyal puppy, and sense of belonging are modest dreams. There is no greed or excess—only a longing for security, peace, and psychological well-being.
In the final stanza, the poem deepens. The innocence described is not the fragile innocence of youth, which is easily lost. It is an innocence that endures because it has survived experience. The speaker knows pain exists and chooses gentleness anyway.
The closing invitation—join me, my friend, in a simple prayer—extends the poem outward. It suggests that truth does not always arrive through struggle, but may be found along a gentler path marked by kindness, simplicity, and humility.
Affirmation
I have earned the right to hope. I choose to see goodness in my life and the world.
From The Wisdom of a Sentimental Old Fool: "...a kind of innocence that endures like a flower untouched by time" -- not sentimental, but not foolish, but full of lasting truth -- one of the glories of Michael Shaw's poetry!