Dorothy Parker

I recently did a poetry project (A+) about Dorothy Parker, my favorite poet. Everybody should check her out. She wrote rhyming poetry on the same subjects as I do, except hers are a million times better and are always funny or ironic or something. My favorites are "One Perfect Rose" and "Convalescent". In the project we also had to make several emulations of the poet's work, which I had a lot of fun with, so the following three are written in her style by me. The last one's a sonnet, by the way -- the first sonnet I've ever tried.

The Woman’s Story

You’ve spent the day with him again,

Young laughter dancing free;

He really seems to like it when

You gaze adoringly.

Afterward, he stops some belles

He obviously knows—

He turns to you, his smile tells;

His face, suddenly rose.

To Leave Me

Sure, that’s what I wanted.

That was silly, naïve me.

Sure, that’s what I felt.

It could only relieve me.

Sure, that’s what’s the best.

Couldn’t have him deceive me.

Sure, that’s what I said.

Why’d he have to believe me?

Blind Man’s Bluff

The lady’s eyes wide in her pleasant, proud face,

She looks up and tells me “It’s me that needs space.

He mentioned a break, and so I had him leave.

He’s gone far away and that’s good; he can grieve—

Should cry both his eyes out and scream at the sky,

Let the neighbors call ‘Crazy!’ when he passes by.

He’ll lose all his money, and scorn every maid,

And cry to the heavens he wished he had stayed.

He might tear all his hair out, but I’ll never care,

For I’m everyone’s favorite—never played solitaire.

I’ll be out half the day and stay out through the night,

And if he crawls back someday I won’t blink at his plight.”

She nodded and smiled but though she may try,

You, Lady, will never convincingly lie.

Poem 29

Trivial

Later,

I curse myself for saying such

trivial, unclever things,

instead of ignoring him

as I should.

Apparently it's impossible for me to hold my tongue

when I see him.

Poem 28

Relative Spacing

I noticed how close you walked by me

on the sidewalk

today.

But later,

I couldn't help wondering

if it was only me,

automatically moving towards you.

Then I remembered

you stayed beside me the whole time.

Poem 27

Cloud No More

She was so bubbly,

full of laughter and open-eyed wisdoms,

long blonde hair over shaded lids.

Now her eyes are shaded on purpose.

Hair artfully blown back,

Wisdom tossed away in return for

Other Interests.

The young girl isn't even fighting to get out.

She's simply gone.

And all of us,

the ones who loved her,

mourn the tragedy

of a spirit taken away too soon.

Poem 26

Impossible Bond

Huddled in my pine,

I turn to glance across the grass

at the two boys in the other tree.

I didn't expect them to be laughing,

but there they were,

jabbering animatedly

in words too low to hear.

They don't notice that my arms

are held tight around my knees,

that I have to blink

more than normal

to keep away the tears.

They have some bond

that I can only view from afar --

but that I would give anything

to have with them.

An hour of silence

proves it's impossible.

Poem 25

Fantasy

I live in a fantasy.

It's a very simple one, really.

Only focused on you.

In the hall you walk up to me.

You smile,

You say my name.

Sometimes you even ask what I'm doing

later.

You never pass by without a glance.

Not the way you do when I actually see you.

Poem 24

Self-Inflicted

I tried to block you out.

I turned away,

barely saw you.

It hurt not to see you.

But it didn't work.

While I still craved your smile,

You didn't see me.

You didn't turn.

That hurt much more.