On my way to Trinity College of Music on Mandeville Place as a student in the late 70s, I remember coming across Dorothy Parker's words graffitied on a wall: Razors pain you/Rivers are damp/Acids stain you and drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful/Nooses give/Gas smells awful/You might as well live.
I may not have remembered it accurately - I went past the same wall every week for a month or so - but it made a powerful impression on me.
Oh, I think you’ve got the wording about right there! That is one of her famous poems. It clearly had a powerful impression on you if you have still remembered it.
As Renee commented, her later life view of her younger self is interesting. And how sad that her ashes remained unclaimed for such a long time. Thanks, as always, Kate.
I have discovered about myself over time that I am most interested in reading women authors from my own GenX era - mostly memoir - and rarely classics or bestsellers or things written by men.
There was a time when I felt guilty/weird/wrong about that because as a writer I’m “supposed to” know classics and bestsellers and yada yada.
But these days I’m super comfortable with that truth AND I like to expand into areas that might not be my norm but might also resonate right now. So, yes, I think I’ll try Dottie.
I know exactly what you mean, Kathryn! Especially as someone who has studied English literature at degree and then Masters level, I often feel a sense of guilt when I most often choose more contemporary novels, memoirs, or non-fiction. But I think we also get so much from our contemporaries in regards to the ways we live now.
Yes we do/ can! I think perhaps in younger years I also just really needed that a lot more. I still very much need the words of contemporary women on a regular basis but, in knowing and becoming myself more, I also have more space for opening to other eras and writers and truths.
Fascinating. Parker’s opinion of the Round Table later in life is interesting - what looked like fun and sophisticated games to her younger self became transparent to her older self as having different roots.
Yes, and although I’m fascinated by their ‘coolness’, I’m sure that in reality they were probably insufferable! I would still love to visit the Algonquin and take a peek though…
On my way to Trinity College of Music on Mandeville Place as a student in the late 70s, I remember coming across Dorothy Parker's words graffitied on a wall: Razors pain you/Rivers are damp/Acids stain you and drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful/Nooses give/Gas smells awful/You might as well live.
I may not have remembered it accurately - I went past the same wall every week for a month or so - but it made a powerful impression on me.
Oh, I think you’ve got the wording about right there! That is one of her famous poems. It clearly had a powerful impression on you if you have still remembered it.
As Renee commented, her later life view of her younger self is interesting. And how sad that her ashes remained unclaimed for such a long time. Thanks, as always, Kate.
Thanks, Victoria!
Oh, the story of Dorothy Parker's ashes!!
I know! I was so interested in that.
This is great and you've made me want to visit now.
Sounds like a plan! 😀
I haven't read much written from this time period so I really loved getting a bit of an education in it here. Great piece as always Kate.
Thanks, Kathryn! I would definitely recommend giving some of Dottie’s short stories a go.
I have discovered about myself over time that I am most interested in reading women authors from my own GenX era - mostly memoir - and rarely classics or bestsellers or things written by men.
There was a time when I felt guilty/weird/wrong about that because as a writer I’m “supposed to” know classics and bestsellers and yada yada.
But these days I’m super comfortable with that truth AND I like to expand into areas that might not be my norm but might also resonate right now. So, yes, I think I’ll try Dottie.
I know exactly what you mean, Kathryn! Especially as someone who has studied English literature at degree and then Masters level, I often feel a sense of guilt when I most often choose more contemporary novels, memoirs, or non-fiction. But I think we also get so much from our contemporaries in regards to the ways we live now.
Yes we do/ can! I think perhaps in younger years I also just really needed that a lot more. I still very much need the words of contemporary women on a regular basis but, in knowing and becoming myself more, I also have more space for opening to other eras and writers and truths.
Fascinating. Parker’s opinion of the Round Table later in life is interesting - what looked like fun and sophisticated games to her younger self became transparent to her older self as having different roots.
Yes, and although I’m fascinated by their ‘coolness’, I’m sure that in reality they were probably insufferable! I would still love to visit the Algonquin and take a peek though…