21 September 2007

A little bit of Dorothy (and Ali) to end the work week...


The Satin Dress

Needle, needle, dip and dart,
Thrusting up and down,
Where's the man could ease a heart
Like a satin gown?

See the stitches curve and crawl
Round the cunning seams-
Patterns thin and sweet and small
As a lady's dreams.

Wantons go in bright brocade;
Brides in organdie;
Gingham's for the plighted maid;
Satin's for the free!

Wool's to line a miser's chest;
Crepe's to calm the old;
Velvet hides an empty breast
Satin's for the bold!

Lawn is for a bishop's yoke;
Linen's for a nun;
Satin is for wiser folk-
Would the dress were done!

Satin glows in candlelight-
Satin's for the proud!
They will say who watch at night,
"What a fine shroud!"

(Dorothy Parker, 1926)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I get it, we're supposed to think you're smart because you read Dorothy Parker...or more likely that you happened to come across a poem *by* Dorothy Parker.

Not at all heavy-handed. Not a bit.

Anonymous said...

Pssst Anonymous, she IS smart.

A paradox of a thousand things, but you can't deny the brains and beauty.

Unknown said...

Anon 7:00,

Let me get this straight. Johanna has read a poem or two. We all have. She's probably read a few more than me and most people. She's into fashion. She writes a blog about fashion. So she sees a dress that reminds her of a poem. And she quotes it. And that means she's trying to convince people she's smart? Remind me to never quote anyone. I wouldn't want someone to think I was phony.