Renowned for the acerbity with which she commented on the vanity and foolishness of others, she could turn her wit on herself almost as easily. Dorothy Parker was born August 1893 in West End, New Jersey and died in June 1967.

Ann

One Perfect Rose

by Dorothy Parker

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.