Dorothy Parker - Ballade of Unfortunate Mammals
Love is sharper than stones or sticks; <br />Lone as the sea, and deeper blue; <br />Loud in the night as a clock that ticks; <br />Longer-lived than the Wandering Jew. <br />Show me a love was done and through, <br />Tell me a kiss escaped its debt! <br />Son, to your death you'll pay your due- <br />Women and elephants never forget. <br /> <br />Ever a man, alas, would mix, <br />Ever a man, heigh-ho, must woo; <br />So he's left in the world-old fix, <br />Thus is furthered the sale of rue. <br />Son, your chances are thin and few- <br />Won't you ponder, before you're set? <br />Shoot if you must, but hold in view <br />Women and elephants never forget. <br /> <br />Down from Caesar past Joynson-Hicks <br />Echoes the warning, ever new: <br />Though they're trained to amusing tricks, <br />Gentler, they, than the pigeon's coo, <br />Careful, son, of the curs'ed two- <br />Either one is a dangerous pet; <br />Natural history proves it true- <br />Women and elephants never forget. <br /> <br />L'ENVOI <br /> <br />Prince, a precept I'd leave for you, <br />Coined in Eden, existing yet: <br />Skirt the parlor, and shun the zoo- <br />Women and elephants never forget.<br /><br />Dorothy Parker<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem..../ballade-of-unfortun
