Wry Humor
Florentine (ca. 1550), Daphne Fleeing From Apollo
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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.
A medley of extemporanea;
And love is a thing that can never go wrong;
And I am Marie of Roumania.
Wry Humor
Any further comment on this rapier of a poem that backs off love, and forces a smile, would seem superfluous!
Have you experienced a difficult situation that was diffused by humor?
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Yes, the pleasure of reading Dorothy Parker is that she always conquers disillusionment with wit and often biting humor. Hers is no small accomplishment, to coax smiles in her readers, that beam through their own clouds of pain and disappointment. But I have to be careful, because she has said, “Don’t look at me in that tone of voice!”
So true about Dorothy! She’s not afraid to make fun of human foibles and emotions. This poem also reminds me of the ancient story told by Aristophanes, that humans originally had four arms, four legs, and two faces. Zeus was wary of their power, and split them in two. And so they’re condemned to spend their lives wandering around in search for their other halves.
Maybe Dorothy Parker is trying to say, that’s futile! Just be wholly yourself!
You’re right – This little poem makes its point about life’s disillusions so well. But that’s what Parker always does. Whether there’s pain behind the wit or wit to cover up pain, her poems always bring a smile at her humor, or if not a smile, a nodding acknowledgement of the pain.