'For An Unknown Lady' by Dorothy Parker

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Enough Rope1925Lady, if you'd slumber sound,
Keep your eyes upon the ground.
If you'd toss and turn at night,
Slip your glances left and right.
Would the mornings find you gay,
Never give your heart away.
Would they find you pale and sad,
Fling it to a whistling lad.
Ah, but when his pleadings burn,
Will you let my words return?
Will you lock your pretty lips,
And deny your finger-tips,
Veil away your tender eyes,
Just because some words were wise?
If he whistles low and clear
When the insistent moon is near
And the secret stars are known-
Will your heart be still your own
Just because some words were true? ...
Lady, I was told them, too!

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, For An Unknown Lady: An Analysis

Dorothy Parker's "Poetry, For An Unknown Lady" is a poem that captures the beauty and mystery of poetry. The poem explores the power of poetry to evoke emotions, express the unspoken, and transport the reader to a different world. Through a careful analysis of the poem, one can understand the themes, symbols, and literary devices that Parker employs.

The Poem

The poem is a tribute to the unknown lady who inspired Parker to write poetry. It is also a reflection on the nature of poetry and its ability to transcend time and space. The poem begins with the speaker addressing the unknown lady, telling her that she is the reason why she writes poetry. The speaker then goes on to describe the beauty of poetry and its ability to express the unspoken:

You whom I do not know

I love you as a woman loves a flower,

For you, O bravo buttonhole, are power

In its precise accord with all the rest;

For you can speak to my mortality

Of re-creation, and of life as blest.

And you are loved by me, who hold you high

Above all shadowed things that pass me by.

The speaker compares the unknown lady to a flower, which represents beauty, fragility, and transience. The "bravo buttonhole" is a metaphor for the power of poetry to capture the essence of life and convey it to the reader. The alliteration of the "b" sound in "bravo buttonhole" adds to the musicality of the poem and the emphasis on the power of poetry.

The speaker goes on to describe the mystery of poetry and its ability to transport the reader to a different world:

You are the unknown, the unremembered;

The something that was promised long ago;

Some glazed, forgotten beauty, unattained,

That with the ancients, through the ages, stayed.

You are the symbol of some heaven-cherished

Delight, not lost, but unattainable.

The unknown lady represents the mystery of poetry and the unattainable beauty that it promises. The poet suggests that poetry has the power to transcend time and connect the present with the past. The reference to the "ancients" reminds us of the enduring nature of poetry and its ability to unite generations.

The poem ends with the speaker expressing her gratitude to the unknown lady for inspiring her to write poetry:

But you, in your reserved and feminine way,

Are the beginning and the end of all

That I can ever hope to say;

For you are that from which my words arise,

And into which they fall.

The speaker acknowledges that the unknown lady is the source of her inspiration and the reason why she writes poetry. The final lines of the poem suggest that poetry is a never-ending cycle of creativity, where words arise from inspiration and fall back into the unknown.

Themes

The poem explores several themes, including the power of poetry, the mystery of the unknown, and the enduring nature of beauty. The poem suggests that poetry has the power to capture the essence of life and convey it to the reader. The unknown lady represents the mystery of poetry and the unattainable beauty that it promises. The reference to the "ancients" reminds us of the enduring nature of poetry and its ability to unite generations.

Symbols

The poem makes use of several symbols, including the flower, the bravo buttonhole, and the unknown lady. The flower represents beauty, fragility, and transience. The "bravo buttonhole" is a metaphor for the power of poetry to capture the essence of life and convey it to the reader. The unknown lady represents the mystery of poetry and the unattainable beauty that it promises.

Literary Devices

The poem employs several literary devices, including metaphor, alliteration, and repetition. The comparison of the unknown lady to a flower is a metaphor that evokes the themes of beauty and transience. The alliteration of the "b" sound in "bravo buttonhole" adds to the musicality of the poem and the emphasis on the power of poetry. The repetition of the phrase "unattainable" emphasizes the theme of the mystery of the unknown.

Conclusion

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry For An Unknown Lady: A Masterpiece by Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker, the American poet, writer, and critic, is known for her sharp wit and satirical writing style. Her works often explore the complexities of human relationships, love, and loss. One of her most famous poems, "Poetry For An Unknown Lady," is a beautiful and poignant piece that captures the essence of unrequited love.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing an unknown lady, expressing her desire to write a poem for her. The speaker acknowledges that she does not know the lady's name, but she is still drawn to her. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with longing and yearning.

The first stanza of the poem reads:

"Never have I been able to find A verse that would just suit you mind, And all of my attempts to make A rhyme that would not sound so fake Have ended in a dismal failure, And left me feeling like a sailor Who's lost his way out on the sea, With no stars to guide him, and no land to see."

These lines convey the speaker's frustration at not being able to capture the essence of the lady in her poetry. The use of the metaphor of a sailor lost at sea emphasizes the speaker's feeling of being adrift and directionless in her attempts to write a poem for the lady.

The second stanza of the poem is equally powerful:

"But still I try, with all my might, To find the words that would be right, To capture all your beauty and grace, And put it down in a fitting place. For you are like a rose in bloom, A sight that fills my heart with gloom, For I know that I can never be The one to hold you close to me."

Here, the speaker compares the lady to a rose in bloom, a symbol of beauty and fragility. The use of the word "gloom" in the second line of the stanza is particularly striking, as it conveys the speaker's sense of sadness and despair at not being able to be with the lady. The final line of the stanza is heartbreaking, as it acknowledges the speaker's knowledge that she can never be with the lady she longs for.

The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful:

"And so I write this poem for you, Hoping that somehow you'll know it's true, That every word I've written here Comes from a heart that's filled with fear, Fear that I'll never be enough, That I'll never be the one you love. But still I write, and hope, and pray, That somehow, someway, you'll hear me say That I love you, and always will, Even though I know you never will."

These lines are a testament to the power of love and the lengths to which people will go to express it. The speaker acknowledges her fear that she will never be enough for the lady, but she still writes the poem, hoping that somehow the lady will know how she feels. The final lines of the stanza are particularly poignant, as they express the speaker's love for the lady, even though she knows that it will never be reciprocated.

In conclusion, "Poetry For An Unknown Lady" is a masterpiece of modern poetry. It captures the essence of unrequited love in a way that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. Dorothy Parker's use of metaphor and imagery is masterful, and her ability to convey complex emotions in simple language is truly remarkable. This poem is a testament to the power of love and the lengths to which people will go to express it, even when they know that it will never be returned.

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