Dorothy Parker / The Sea

THE SEA

by Dorothy Paker

Who lay against the sea, and fled,
Who lightly loved the wave,
Shall never know, when he is dead,
A cool and murmurous grave.

But in a shallow pit shall rest
For all eternity,
And bear the earth upon the breas
That once had worn the sea.

Dorothy Parker / Indian Summer

INDIAN SUMMER

by Dorothy Parker

In youth, it was a way I had,
To do my best to please.
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know
And do the things I do,
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you.

Doroty Parker / Love Song

Love Song

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BY DOROTHY PARKER

My own dear love, he is strong and bold 

      And he cares not what comes after. 

His words ring sweet as a chime of gold, 

      And his eyes are lit with laughter. 

He is jubilant as a flag unfurled— 

      Oh, a girl, she’d not forget him. 

My own dear love, he is all my world,— 

      And I wish I’d never met him. 

My love, he’s mad, and my love, he’s fleet, 

      And a wild young wood-thing bore him! 

The ways are fair to his roaming feet, 

      And the skies are sunlit for him. 

As sharply sweet to my heart he seems 

      As the fragrance of acacia. 

My own dear love, he is all my dreams,— 

      And I wish he were in Asia. 

My love runs by like a day in June, 

      And he makes no friends of sorrows. 

He’ll tread his galloping rigadoon 

      In the pathway of the morrows. 

He’ll live his days where the sunbeams start, 

      Nor could storm or wind uproot him. 

My own dear love, he is all my heart,— 

      And I wish somebody’d shoot him.

Dorothy Parker / A Very Short Song

A Very Short Song 

by Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker / Una breve canción (De otros mundos)

Once, when I was young and true,
Someone left me sad-
Broke my brittle heart in two;
And that is very bad.

Love is for unlucky folk,
Love is but a curse.
Once there was a heart I broke;
And that, I think, is worse. 

Dorothy Parker / From a letter from Lesbia

FROM A LETTER FROM LESBIA

by Dorothy Parker

... So, praise the gods, Catullus is away!
And let me tend you this advice, my dear:
Take any lover that you will, or may,
Except a poet. All of them are queer.

It's just the same. — a quarrel or a kiss
Is but a tune to play upon his pipe.
He's always hymning that or wailing this;
Myself, I much prefer the business type.

That thing he wrote, the time the sparrow died —
(Oh, most unpleasant — gloomy, tedious words!)
I called it sweet, and made believe I cried;
The stupid fool! I've always hated birds...

Dorothy Parker / Resumé

Resumé 

by Dorothy Parker

Un poema / Tres traductores

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.