Ballade Of Unfortunate Mammals Poem by Dorothy Parker

Ballade Of Unfortunate Mammals

Rating: 3.0


Love is sharper than stones or sticks;
Lone as the sea, and deeper blue;
Loud in the night as a clock that ticks;
Longer-lived than the Wandering Jew.
Show me a love was done and through,
Tell me a kiss escaped its debt!
Son, to your death you'll pay your due-
Women and elephants never forget.

Ever a man, alas, would mix,
Ever a man, heigh-ho, must woo;
So he's left in the world-old fix,
Thus is furthered the sale of rue.
Son, your chances are thin and few-
Won't you ponder, before you're set?
Shoot if you must, but hold in view
Women and elephants never forget.

Down from Caesar past Joynson-Hicks
Echoes the warning, ever new:
Though they're trained to amusing tricks,
Gentler, they, than the pigeon's coo,
Careful, son, of the curs'ed two-
Either one is a dangerous pet;
Natural history proves it true-
Women and elephants never forget.

L'ENVOI

Prince, a precept I'd leave for you,
Coined in Eden, existing yet:
Skirt the parlor, and shun the zoo-
Women and elephants never forget.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Sylvia Frances Chan 02 April 2023

(2) that women are very intelligent as the elephant are very intelligent too. An important message for women, be intelligent! 5 Stars and toMyFavourites.Dorothy Parker had written better poems than this one, but I am happy to read her Classic Poem Of The Day.

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Sylvia Frances Chan 02 April 2023

(1) This is not one of her best poems, but the message is here crystal clearly composed: women and elephants, both are mammals, and the category women and elephants shows

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Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker

Long Branch / New Jersey
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