(Back to Index) 


Dorothy Parker 
(1893-1967) 

Comment

Epitaph For A Darling Lady

Finis 

News Item

One Perfect Rose

Theory

Wail

 




 

Comment
By Dorothy Parker

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, 
A medley of extemporanea; 
And love is a thing that can never go wrong; 
And I am Marie of Roumania.

  Top Of Page  

 


 


Epitaph For A Darling Lady
By Dorothy Parker

All her hours were yellow sands, 
Blown in foolish whorls and tassels; 
Slipping warmly through her hands; 
Patted into little castles. 

Shiny day on shiny day 
Tumble in a rainbow clutter, 
As she flipped them all away, 
Sent them spinning down the gutter. 

Leave for her a red young rose, 
Go your way, and save your pity; 
She is happy, for she knows 
That her dust is very pretty. 

  Top Of Page  

 

 

 


 

Finis 
By Dorothy Parker

Now it's over, and now it's done; 
Why does everything look the same? 
Just as bright, the unheeding sun, -- 
Can't it see that the parting came? 
People hurry and work and swear, 
Laugh and grumble and die and wed, 
Ponder what they will eat and wear, -- 
Don't they know that our love is dead? 

Just as busy, the crowded street; 
Cars and wagons go rolling on, 
Children chuckle, and lovers meet, -- 
Don't they know that our love is gone? 
No one pauses to pay a tear; 
None walks slow, for the love that's through, -- 
I might mention, my recent dear, 
I've reverted to normal, too. 

  Top Of Page  

 

 

News Item 
By Dorothy Parker

Men seldom make passes 
At girls who wear glasses. 

  Top Of Page  

 

 

 

One Perfect Rose 
By Dorothy Parker

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met. 
All tenderly his messenger he chose; 
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet -- 
One perfect rose. 

I knew the language of the floweret; 
"My fragile leaves," it said, "his heart enclose." 
Love long has taken for his amulet 
One perfect rose. 

Why is it no one ever sent me yet 
One perfect limousine, do you suppose? 
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get 
One perfect rose.

  Top Of Page  

 

 

Theory
By Dorothy Parker

Into love and out again,
Thus I went and thus I go.
Spare your voice, and hold your pen:
Well and bitterly I know
All the songs were ever sung,
All the words were ever said;
Could it be, when I was young,
Someone dropped me on my head?

  Top Of Page  

 

 

Wail 
By Dorothy Parker

Love has gone a-rocketing. 
That is not the worst; 
I could do without the thing, 
And not be the first. 

Joy has gone the way it came. 
That is nothing new; 
I could get along the same, -- 
Many people do. 

Dig for me the narrow bed, 
Now I am bereft. 
All my pretty hates are dead, 
And what have I left? 

  Top Of Page  

 



(Back to Index)