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Parker, Dorothy: Ballade of Unfortunate Mammals

Portre of Parker, Dorothy

Ballade of Unfortunate Mammals (English)

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.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://home.arcor.de

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