Stiffknee at Old Poetry

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on The Sisters by Judith Wright, on March 16, 2006
the poem, The Sisters, by Judith Wright concerns two women, remeniscing the lives they once led. We undertsand the sisters are hold, hence "the old sisters," though even before this, we can gather the women are old as Wright uses a simile to describe their speech, "their slow voices run like little winter creeks dwindled by frost and wind." The sulight which moves across the veranda can be interpreted as a symbol of time - the youth they have surpassed. As the memories pass through their minds, time passes as does the sunlight. The women obviously enjoy the company of their men, as not only are the men mentioned of a positive nature, the "marriage-bed" is mentioned, suggesting the women still feel youthful and enjoyed the "courting, the dancing" and sex obviously is a great issue with youth, and the old women remeber with a great sense of nostalgia. The two are sisters and sisters are seen to confide within eachother as these two do, but like most, they have their personal secrets which are for themselves to know, "My life was wide and wild, and who can know my heart? there in that golden jungle i walk alone," undoubtedly proves this and this is something most readers can relate to. It is a wonderful thing to have a relationship with family or a friend, though some things stay private, and perhaps the sisters at this point reminisce something they choose not to tell.