Dorothy Parker was a twentieth century American writer of poetry, fiction and literary criticism who was especially known for her caustic wit. There's an example of that wit in this poem. I imagine the subject of the poem as a teenager but it could be an older person, I suppose. At any rate, it is someone who mended from an ended romance rather quickly!
by Dorothy Parker
They laid their hands upon my head,
They laid their hands upon my head,
They stroked my cheek and brow;
And time could heal a hurt, they said,
And time could dim a vow.
And they were pitiful and mild
Who whispered to me then,
"The heart that breaks in April, child,
Will mend in May again."
Oh, many a mended heart they knew.
So old they were, and wise.
And little did they have to do
To come to me with lies!
Who flings me silly talk of May
Shall meet a bitter soul;
For June was nearly spent away
Before my heart was whole.
And time could dim a vow.
And they were pitiful and mild
Who whispered to me then,
"The heart that breaks in April, child,
Will mend in May again."
Oh, many a mended heart they knew.
So old they were, and wise.
And little did they have to do
To come to me with lies!
Who flings me silly talk of May
Shall meet a bitter soul;
For June was nearly spent away
Before my heart was whole.
Seems like a teenager to me, too, Dorothy. I remember when my first serious girlfriend let me know - and not especially gently - that I was no longer her Sir Lancelot how devastated I was - until I met the next one!
ReplyDeleteThat first such experience is something we never forget, isn't it?
DeleteI laughed at the last line. Oh, in some ways, to be a teenager again.
ReplyDeleteMy teen years were such a mixture of almost unutterable joy and, at times, sorrow and/or embarrassment that could almost overwhelm one. If given the chance, I'm not sure I would want to go through that again!
DeleteHa! What a fun poem, in the end.
ReplyDeleteThat last verse sums it up well, doesn't it?
DeleteI would hate to be a teenager again, with that horrible feeling of not quite belonging anywhere and emotions all over the place.
ReplyDeleteYou describe it well. And I agree - it's not a country I would wish to visit again.
DeleteFalse friends, whoa. That's a good one. The heart takes a while to heal.
ReplyDeleteIt is always very hurtful to find that "friends" have been false.
DeleteDorothy Parker spoke truth.
ReplyDeleteYes, she did.
DeleteI love Dorothy Parker! She's one of my favorite writers. I have a collection of her poems and short stories and read it often. :D
ReplyDeleteI have, perhaps, that same collection. There's a lot of wisdom in it. It's amazing that it still seems so relevant to our current-day condition.
Delete