ENOUGH ROPE _Poems by_ DOROTHY PARKER _NEW YORK_ BONI & LIVERIGHT 1926 _Copyright, 1926, by_ BONI AND LIVERIGHT, INC. _All Rights of Reproduction Reserved_ First printing, December, 1926 Second printing, January, 1927 Third printing, February, 1927 Fourth printing, March, 1927 Fifth printing, April, 1927 Sixth printing, May, 1927 Seventh printing, July, 1927 Eighth printing, September, 1927 Ninth printing, October, 1927 Tenth printing, December, 1927 Eleventh printing, February, 1928 Twelfth printing, April, 1928 Thirteenth printing, July, 1928 To ELINOR WYLIE The verses in this book were first printed in _Life_, _Vanity Fair_, _The New Yorker_, and _The New York World_. CONTENTS PART ONE THRENODY THE SMALL HOURS THE FALSE FRIENDS THE TRIFLER A VERY SHORT SONG A WELL-WORN STORY CONVALESCENT THE DARK GIRL'S RHYME EPITAPH LIGHT OF LOVE WAIL THE SATIN DRESS SOMEBODY'S SONG ANECDOTE BRAGGART EPITAPH FOR A DARLING LADY TO A MUCH TOO UNFORTUNATE LADY PATHS HEARTHSIDE THE NEW LOVE RAINY NIGHT FOR A SAD LADY RECURRENCE STORY OF MRS. W-- THE DRAMATISTS AUGUST THE WHITE LADY I KNOW I HAVE BEEN HAPPIEST TESTAMENT "I SHALL COME BACK" CONDOLENCE THE IMMORTALS A PORTRAIT PART TWO PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST CHANT FOR DARK HOURS UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE VERSE REPORTING LATE ARRIVAL AT A CONCLUSION INVENTORY NOW AT LIBERTY COMMENT PLEA PATTERN DE PROFUNDIS THEY PART BALLADE OF A GREAT WEARINESS RÉSUMÉ RENUNCIATION DAY-DREAMS THE VETERAN PROPHETIC SOUL VERSE FOR A CERTAIN DOG FOLK TUNE GODSPEED SONG OF PERFECT PROPRIETY SOCIAL NOTE ONE PERFECT ROSE BALLADE AT THIRTY-FIVE THE THIN EDGE SPRING SONG LOVE SONG INDIAN SUMMER PHILOSOPHY FOR AN UNKNOWN LADY THE LEAL FINIS WORDS OF COMFORT TO BE SCRATCHED ON A MIRROR MEN NEWS ITEM SONG OF ONE OF THE GIRLS LULLABY FAUT DE MIEUX ROUNDEL A CERTAIN LADY OBSERVATION SYMPTOM RECITAL FIGHTING WORDS RONDEAU REDOUBLÉ AUTOBIOGRAPHY THE CHOICE BALLADE OF BIG PLANS GENERAL REVIEW OF THE SEX SITUATION INSCRIPTION FOR THE CEILING OF A BEDROOM PICTURES IN THE SMOKE BIOGRAPHIES NOCTURNE INTERVIEW SONG IN A MINOR KEY EXPERIENCE NEITHER BLOODY NOR BOWED THE BURNED CHILD PART ONE _Threnody_ Lilacs blossom just as sweet Now my heart is shattered. If I bowled it down the street, Who's to say it mattered? If there's one that rode away What would I be missing? Lips that taste of tears, they say, Are the best for kissing. Eyes that watch the morning star Seem a little brighter; Arms held out to darkness are Usually whiter. Shall I bar the strolling guest, Bind my brow with willow, When, they say, the empty breast Is the softer pillow? That a heart falls tinkling down, Never think it ceases. Every likely lad in town Gathers up the pieces. If there's one gone whistling by Would I let it grieve me? Let him wonder if I lie; Let him half believe me.