(22 August 1893 - 7 June 1967 / Long Branch / New Jersey)

poet Dorothy Parker
#31 on top 500 poets
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A Dream Lies Dead

A dream lies dead here. May you softly go
Before this place, and turn away your eyes,
Nor seek to know the look of that which dies
Importuning Life for life. Walk not in woe,
But, for a little, let your step be slow.
And, of your mercy, be not sweetly wise
With words of hope and Spring and tenderer skies.
A dream lies dead; and this all mourners know:

Whenever one drifted petal leaves the tree-
Though white of bloom as it had been before
And proudly waitful of fecundity-
One little loveliness can be no more;
And so must Beauty bow her imperfect head
Because a dream has joined the wistful dead!

Submitted: Friday, January 03, 2003


Read poems about / on: dream, spring, tree, beauty, hope, life, sky

Comments about this poem (A Dream Lies Dead by Dorothy Parker )

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  • Sokal Roy (11/9/2011 7:50:00 AM)

    my choice
    so nice so inspirational poem..

    5 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Cynthia Buhain-Baello (12/29/2009 8:36:00 AM)

    Lovely, excellent choice of words and effective use of punctuation.

    4 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Lindemberg Pereira (12/13/2009 6:06:00 AM)

    Dorothy is simply brilliant! !

    5 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Malini Kadir (5/23/2009 7:51:00 AM)

    heart warming write! helps to read when hope is dead.... and dreams a million miles away! very aptly put! last two lines were very good!

    4 person liked.
    		2 person did not like.
  • Zaarah Jasmin (3/21/2009 4:57:00 PM)

    dreams are planned, reality is just exsicutive the planned.. to dream is reality, and for dream to becomes reality is what we always dream. Very inspirational poem..

    2 person liked.
    		4 person did not like.
  • Yekaterina Bezpalaya (12/24/2008 10:31:00 AM)

    It is a cheerful sort of sorrow. The kind when you are sad but you know there will be brighter skies ahead and you take that and you walk forward.

    Heartfelt: ]

    5 person liked.
    		3 person did not like.
  • John Michener (8/30/2008 9:43:00 AM)

    This poem reveals one side of DP's character: her ineffable sadness. No machete-like wit. I like this poema lot.

    2 person liked.
    		3 person did not like.
  • Li Away (3/31/2008 9:58:00 AM)

    ' one little loveliness can be no more' = a dream

    Dorothy as always have been the image of the beautiful truth

    2 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • George Sicillia (3/17/2008 11:22:00 PM)

    Wow.. wow.. wow... this is a very very touchy poem. Pretty sadness.
    Ge'

    3 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
  • Gombar Annamaria (12/26/2007 10:07:00 AM)

    How true...and how sad. No beauty can be as perfect as a dream we never see come true. Wonderful poem.

    4 person liked.
    		1 person did not like.
Read all 12 comments »

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