Afternoon

Dorothy Parker 1893 (Long Branch) – 1967 (New York City)



When I am old, and comforted,
  And done with this desire,
With Memory to share my bed
  And Peace to share my fire,

I'll comb my hair in scalloped bands
  Beneath my laundered cap,
And watch my cool and fragile hands
  Lie light upon my lap.

And I will have a sprigged gown
  With lace to kiss my throat;
I'll draw my curtain to the town,
  And hum a purring note.

And I'll forget the way of tears,
  And rock, and stir my tea.
But oh, I wish those blessed years
  Were further than they be!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

30 sec read
184

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXA BCBC DEDE XFXF
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 485
Words 98
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4

Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. more…

All Dorothy Parker poems | Dorothy Parker Books

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