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Monday 30 July 2012

Dorothy Parker: Comment


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Mating ritual of the James's Flamingo (Phoenicopterus jamesi); also known as the Puna Flamingo, it breeds on the high Andean plateaus of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina: photo by Pedro Szekely, 19 August 2007



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.



File:Common Jezebel Delias eucharis edit by kadavoor.jpg

The Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis), is a medium sized pierid butterfly found in many areas of South and Southeast Asia, especially in the non-arid regions of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. The Common Jezebel is one of the most common species in the genus Delias. This individual is male. The butterfly may be found wherever there are trees, even in towns and cities, flies high among the trees and comes lower down only to feed on nectar in flowers. It rests with its wings closed exhibiting the brilliantly coloured underside. Due to this habit apparently, it has evolved a dull upper-side and a brilliant underside so that birds below it recognise it immediately while in flight and at rest. The bright coloration is to indicate the fact that it is unpalatable due to toxins accumulated by the larvae from the host-plants. Kadavoor, Kerala, India: photo by Jkadavoor. 12 December 2010


Dorothy Parker (1893-1967): Comment, from Enough Rope (1926)

I don't care what is written about me as long as it isn't true. -- DP

Marie of Roumania: Marie Alexandra Victoria (1875-1938), born in Kent, England, the daughter of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and the former Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, and granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She married Ferdinand of Romania in 1893, became Queen of the Romanians in 1914, and served as a nurse in World War I. They had six children. In November 1927 Marie made a triumphant tour of the United States, cut short because she had to return home for her dying husband.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

that´s ironic !

Susan Kay Anderson said...

A Queen's words--
we would lounge there
studying German, Russian
in Friendly Hall
at the U of O
in Eugene
feeling fancy
her guests
for a few hours.
Hank was waiting
and Denise and Corine
would be following soon.

Susan Kay Anderson said...

The Puna Flamingo--
the only color
in all that green
high school a swirl
rain slanted
suddenly stormy
prayer flags soggy
full moon non
sense understood
just a little more.

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

Tom,

"And love is a thing that can never [quite] go wrong;"

7.30

light coming into fog against invisible
ridge, jay calling from shadowed branch
in foreground, sound of wave in channel

thing returning to the idea
I had, before my eyes

light of this kind in which,
indeed, what is clear

sunlight reflected in windblown channel,
whiteness of fog against green of ridge

ACravan said...

I read this yesterday evening after a long day of being placed over and over again in false positions. At least I had a witness or I really would have felt crazy. This is a wonderful post, so much (if you can tolerate the comparison) better than the usual Dorothy Parker epigrammatic bits you tend to see. Curtis