'One Perfect Rose' by Dorothy Parker
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A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet -
One perfect rose.
I knew the language of the floweret;
'My fragile leaves,' it said, 'his heart enclose.'
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.
Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.
Editor 1 Interpretation
One Perfect Rose: A Critique and Interpretation
If you've ever been really into someone, you might have given them flowers as a token of your affection. But what if you could only afford one flower? And what if that one flower was so perfect, it could replace all the other flowers in the world? This is the question that Dorothy Parker asks in her iconic poem, "One Perfect Rose."
The Poem
Before we dive into the analysis, let's take a look at the poem itself:
A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet--
One perfect rose.
I knew the language of the floweret;
"My fragile leaves," it said, "his heart enclose."
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.
Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.
At first glance, "One Perfect Rose" appears to be a straightforward love poem. It tells the story of a man who sends the speaker a single rose, which she interprets as a symbol of his love. However, the poem takes a sardonic turn in the final stanza, as the speaker laments that no one has ever sent her anything as extravagant as a limousine.
The Analysis
So what is Parker trying to say with this poem? Let's break it down stanza by stanza.
Stanza 1
"A single flow'r he sent me, since we met. All tenderly his messenger he chose; Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet-- One perfect rose."
The first stanza sets the scene for the poem. The speaker tells us that she has received a single flower from a man she has presumably been seeing for some time. She emphasizes the care with which the flower was chosen and describes it in flowery (pun intended) terms, using words like "deep-hearted," "pure," and "scented dew." The use of the word "perfect" in the title and the final line of the stanza underscores the idea that this flower is exceptional and special.
Stanza 2
"I knew the language of the floweret; 'My fragile leaves,' it said, 'his heart enclose.' Love long has taken for his amulet One perfect rose."
In the second stanza, the speaker expands on the idea of the flower as a symbol of love. She claims to "know the language of the floweret," implying that she is well-versed in the art of interpreting flower symbolism. The flower itself tells her that its "fragile leaves" enclose the man's heart. The final line of the stanza suggests that this is not an unusual phenomenon; in fact, "Love long has taken for his amulet / One perfect rose." In other words, the idea of using a single rose as a symbol of love is so ubiquitous that it has become a cliché.
Stanza 3
"Why is it no one ever sent me yet One perfect limousine, do you suppose? Ah no, it's always just my luck to get One perfect rose."
The final stanza is where the poem takes a turn. The speaker laments that no one has ever sent her anything as extravagant as a limousine. This line is both humorous and poignant; on the one hand, the speaker is poking fun at herself for wanting something so lavish, while on the other hand, she is expressing a real sense of disappointment and longing. The final line of the poem, "Ah no, it's always just my luck to get / One perfect rose," is a bittersweet conclusion that suggests that the speaker has resigned herself to the fact that she will only ever receive small tokens of affection, rather than grand gestures.
Interpretation
So what is Parker trying to say with "One Perfect Rose"? At its core, the poem is a commentary on the nature of love and the way it is expressed. By using the symbol of the rose, Parker is calling attention to the way that love can be reduced to a series of clichés and empty gestures. The fact that the flower is "perfect" suggests that it is too perfect, too formulaic, too predictable. The speaker's desire for something as extravagant as a limousine can be seen as a critique of the way that love has been commodified and reduced to a series of transactions. At the same time, the poem is also a reflection of the speaker's own desires and longings, and her sense of disappointment at not receiving the kind of grand gesture she feels she deserves.
Conclusion
"One Perfect Rose" is a deceptively simple poem that packs a lot of meaning into just three stanzas. By using the symbol of the rose, Parker is able to comment on the nature of love and the way it is expressed, while also exploring the speaker's own desires and disappointments. The poem is both humorous and poignant, and its final line is a bittersweet conclusion that suggests that the speaker has resigned herself to a life of small tokens of affection. Overall, "One Perfect Rose" is a masterful example of Parker's wit and insight, and a testament to her skill as a poet.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
One Perfect Rose: A Masterpiece of Irony and Satire
Dorothy Parker, one of the most celebrated American writers of the 20th century, was known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and incisive commentary on the human condition. Her poem "One Perfect Rose" is a perfect example of her mastery of irony and satire, as she skewers the conventions of romantic love and exposes the emptiness and futility of materialistic gestures.
The poem begins with a seemingly romantic gesture: the speaker's lover sends her a single rose, "a single flow'r he sent me, since we met." However, the speaker is not impressed by this gesture, as she immediately recognizes its insincerity and superficiality: "All tenderly his messenger he chose; / Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet - / One perfect rose."
The use of the word "messenger" is significant, as it suggests that the rose is not a genuine expression of the lover's feelings, but rather a proxy for his true intentions. The speaker also notes the rose's perfection, which is a common trope in romantic poetry, but she does so in a sarcastic tone that suggests she is not fooled by such clichés.
The second stanza of the poem reveals the speaker's true feelings about the rose and the lover who sent it: "I know the language of the floweret; / 'My fragile leaves,' it said, / 'His heart enclose.'" Here, the speaker uses the word "fragile" to describe the rose, which is a subtle way of suggesting that the lover's feelings are also fragile and easily broken. She also mocks the idea that the rose is a symbol of the lover's heart, as if his heart could be contained in a single flower.
The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most biting, as the speaker reveals the true cost of the rose: "Love long has taken for his amulet / One perfect rose, / Why is it no one ever sent me yet / One perfect limousine?" Here, the speaker contrasts the traditional symbol of love, the rose, with a more modern symbol of wealth and luxury, the limousine. She suggests that the lover's gesture is not a genuine expression of love, but rather an attempt to impress her with his wealth and status.
The use of the word "amulet" is also significant, as it suggests that the rose is not a genuine expression of love, but rather a talisman or charm that the lover hopes will win her affection. The speaker's use of the word "yet" also suggests that she is not impressed by the rose and is still waiting for a more meaningful gesture from her lover.
The final stanza of the poem is a masterful example of irony, as the speaker reveals that she would prefer a more practical gift than a rose or a limousine: "Ah no, it's always just my luck to get / One perfect rose." Here, the speaker suggests that she is not interested in materialistic gestures or romantic clichés, but rather in practical gifts that will make her life easier. The use of the word "just" is also significant, as it suggests that the speaker is resigned to her fate of receiving meaningless gifts from her lover.
In conclusion, "One Perfect Rose" is a masterpiece of irony and satire that exposes the emptiness and futility of materialistic gestures in romantic relationships. Dorothy Parker's use of sarcasm, irony, and satire is masterful, as she skewers the conventions of romantic love and exposes the true motivations behind such gestures. The poem is a timeless commentary on the human condition and a reminder that true love cannot be bought or sold, but must be earned through genuine expressions of affection and devotion.
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