''The Panic of Growing Older'' as a Pessimistic Poem

 

   ''The Panic of Growing Older" by Lenrie Peters is a pessimistic poem because the persona's view of aging is not that of joy, but fear and panic. The poet starts by saying growing older is creating panic in the mind of people as people number their days year in year out
        ''the panic of growing older
         spread fluttering winds
         from year to year''
This means that people grow worried as they age. The poet believes that when a person is at twenties,he bubbles with a lot of plans and expectations.
            ''at twenty
            stilled by hope
            of gigantic success
            time and expectation'
At twenty, people are optimistic, but that is the end. Thereafter, pessimism sets in. People begin to realize that their hopes and expectations are growing damper as soon as they age thirty. This comes with the panic of growing older
     ''at thirty
      a sudden throb of pain
      laboratory test
      having nothing to show''
The poet believes as soon as a person clocks thirty, his pursuit of success and priority in life is distorted. This distortion is caused by the challenges of family responsibility. This distortion in a man's pursuit in life will ultimately affect his chances of success in life.
      ''at thirty
       legs cribbed
       in domesticity allow
       no sudden leaps
      at the moon now''






As a result of pressure mounted upon people, they begin to record failures in their life's  goals and endeavors. They grow older but with nothing meaningful to show for their age. The poet captures this ideas thus
    ''copy book bisected
     with red ink
     and failures
     nothing to show the world''