--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There Was an Old Woman Called…" description: "\"“There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in a Dwelling Exceedingly Small; A Man Stretched His Mouth to the Utmost Extent, And Down at O..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg" --- # There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in… ![“There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in a Dwelling Exceedingly Small; A Man Stretched His Mouth to the Utmost Extent, And Down at One Gulp House and Old Woman Went.” quote by Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg) > ““There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in a Dwelling Exceedingly Small; A Man Stretched His Mouth to the Utmost Extent, And Down at One Gulp House and Old Woman Went.”” [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A whimsical tale of a tiny woman and a huge mouth, exploring scale and absurdity. **In simple terms:** Small woman, huge mouth, absurd scene. Key Takeaway Appreciate the power of imagination. Themes imagination scale absurdity Mood playful surreal Type poetic creative When to use this quote - poetry - humor Key Concepts creative writing storytelling visual art Questions to Reflect On - How does scale affect meaning? - What emotions arise from absurd images? A Different Perspective Imbalance can distort perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [We came to the house, and it is an old house, full of great chimneys where wood is burnt on ancient dogs upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/we-came-to-the-house-and-it-is-an-old-house-full-of-great-chimneys/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“So they went out for a walk. 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I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More by Sharon Olds > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [There are some fine books and essays about that. Lewis Hyde has written about alcoholism and poets and the role that society gives its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-are-some-fine-books-and-essays-about-that-lewis-hyde-has/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [I'm not asking a poem to carry a lot of rocks in its pockets. Just being an ordinary observer and liver and feeler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-m-not-asking-a-poem-to-carry-a-lot-of-rocks-in-its-pockets-just/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“How do they do it, the ones who make love without love? How do they come to the come to the come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/how-do-they-do-it-the-ones-who-make-love-without-love-how-do-they/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [She'd crack A joke sharp as a tin lid Hot from the teeth of the can-opener, And cackle her crack-corn laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/she-d-crack-a-joke-sharp-as-a-tin-lid-hot-from-the-teeth-of-the-can/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [If I wrote in a sonnet form, I would be distorting. Or if I had some great new idea for line breaks and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/if-i-wrote-in-a-sonnet-form-i-would-be-distorting-or-if-i-had-some/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Many poets write books. They'll tell you: Well, I've got my next book, but there are two poems I need to write, one about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/many-poets-write-books-they-ll-tell-you-well-i-ve-got-my-next-book/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“as if languagelessness was a step up, in evolution, from the chatter of consciousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/as-if-languagelessness-was-a-step-up-in-evolution-from-the-chatter-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out of dance. I think for many years I was aware of the need, in dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/maybe-we-can-use-a-metaphor-for-it-out-of-dance-i-think-for-many/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Who wants to put together something that will bear some relationship to the vision or memory or experience or story or idea or dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/who-wants-to-put-together-something-that-will-bear-some-relationship/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“I put my arms around a trunk and squeezed it, then I lay down on my father's grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-put-my-arms-around-a-trunk-and-squeezed-it-then-i-lay-down-on-my/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“...the liquor like fire in his hand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/the-liquor-like-fire-in-his-hand/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [I'm probably so out of it at my age that I don't know what people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-m-probably-so-out-of-it-at-my-age-that-i-don-t-know-what-people/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“Some people think I should be over my ex by now — maybe I thought I might have been over him more by now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/some-people-think-i-should-be-over-my-ex-by-now-maybe-i-thought-i/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Maybe in order to understand sex fully/one has to risk being destroyed by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/maybe-in-order-to-understand-sex-fully-one-has-to-risk-being/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) [Explore all 78 Sharon Olds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) ## More Old woman quotes > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) > [“Seriously, this old woman had no idea how close she came to being squashed like a roach. -Sage Hannigan, Contingency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-martinez/seriously-this-old-woman-had-no-idea-how-close-she-came-to-being/) P. S. Martinez > [Again and again I tell God I need help, and God says, 'Well, isn't that fabulous? Because I need help too. So you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/again-and-again-i-tell-god-i-need-help-and-god-says-well-isn-t-that/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The Witch's Life" When I was a child there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch. All day she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-witch-s-life-when-i-was-a-child-there-was-an-old-woman-in-our/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Come into my wagon, dear heart,” the old woman crooned at Celaena, “and let old Baba Yellowlegs take a look into your future.” Sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/come-into-my-wagon-dear-heart-the-old-woman-crooned-at-celaena-and/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Picture to yourself, O fair young reader, a worldly, selfish, graceless, thankless, religionless old woman, writhing in pain and fear, and without her wig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/picture-to-yourself-o-fair-young-reader-a-worldly-selfish-graceless/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“The old woman took the umbrella, gratefully, and smiled her thanks. “You’ve a good heart,” she told him. “Sometimes that’s enough to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-old-woman-took-the-umbrella-gratefully-and-smiled-her-thanks-you/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When you ask single men in their 20s, "Do you want children?" they want children more than women do. Again, economics drive this. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-marche/when-you-ask-single-men-in-their-20s-do-you-want-children-they-want/) [Stephen Marche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-marche/) > [This is what I miss, Cordelia: not something that’s gone, but something that will never happen. Two old women giggling over their tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/this-is-what-i-miss-cordelia-not-something-that-s-gone-but-something/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [WITCH, n. (1) Any ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/witch-n-1-any-ugly-and-repulsive-old-woman-in-a-wicked-league-with/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“There being nobody by, however, but a pauper old woman, who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-being-nobody-by-however-but-a-pauper-old-woman-who-was-rendered/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [All I can say is that we are mistaken to gouge such a deep rift in history that the things old men and old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/all-i-can-say-is-that-we-are-mistaken-to-gouge-such-a-deep-rift-in/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) Browse all 347 Old woman quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in a Dwelling Exceedingly Small; A Man Stretched His Mouth to the Utmost Extent, And Down at One Gulp House and Old Woman Went.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Olds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at-all-who-lived-in-a-dwelling/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Old woman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at-all-who-lived-in-a-dwelling/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/sharon-olds-8682_old-woman_there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at_2641584.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-All, Who Lived in a Dwelling Exceedingly Small; A Man Stretched His…” — Sharon Olds", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sharon Olds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There Was an Old Woman Called...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at-all-who-lived-in-a-dwelling/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-was-an-old-woman-called-nothing-at-all-who-lived-in-a-dwelling/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```