The Little Boy and the Old Man
The Little Boy and the Old Man - meaning Summary
Comfort Across Generations
A brief, tender dialogue between a little boy and an old man finds shared admissions of helplessness and embarrassment. As they confess dropping spoons, wetting pants, and crying, the poem compresses childhood and old age into parallel vulnerabilities. Its quiet ending—physical comfort and sympathetic recognition—frames a humane message about companionship, dignity, and how empathy links different life stages when others ignore them.
Read Complete AnalysesSaid the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon." Said the old man, "I do that too." The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants." "I do that too," laughed the little old man. Said the little boy, "I often cry." The old man nodded, "So do I." "But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems Grown-ups don't pay attention to me." And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand. "I know what you mean," said the little old man.
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