The significance of the 21st birthday used to be that that was when a person
officially became an adult. I got married at 19, and at that time had to
have my parents' permission to do so as I was under 21. My husband then
became responsible for me as he was over 21 - but I'd have liked to have
seen him try to tell me what I could and couldn't do! I couldn't rent a
house or flat, get credit, have a mortgage, buy a house, vote and other
things which obviously didn't bother me at the time. I was officially a
minor until the age of 21. So getting the key of the door was symbolic of
becoming an adult and being able to set up your own household. The age of
majority was lowered to 18 many years ago so the significant birthday is now
18, but many still celebrate 21 as well to get a double lot of gifts :-D.
I don't know of a poem, but a song was published in 1911, and "She's" or
"He's" can be substituted for "I'm" depending on who's singing it and
whether the 21 year-old is male or female (still a "jolly good fellow"
though) :
"I'm twenty-one today!
Twenty-one today!
I've got the key of the door!
Never been twenty-one before!
And father says I can do what I like!
So shout Hip-hip-hooray!
I'm a jolly good fellow,
Twenty-one today."
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