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Taking the Doggerel for a Walk
If I had a shiny gun
I could have a world of fun
Putting bullets through the brains
Of all the folks who give me pains.
Or if I had some poison gas
I could make the moments pass
Bumping off a number of
People whom I do not love.
But I have no lethal weapon;
Thus doth fate our pleasure step on!
So they are still alive and well
Who should be, by rights, in hell.
–Dorothy Parker
Published in General
Doug, great title. Is that yours or Parker’s?
Parker wrote the poem, I will take credit for the message thread title. My mind is a terrible thing.
Lovely.
What fresh hell is this?
I only offer fresh ones to company. I keep the stale ones for quiet winter evenings.
I took my doggerel for a walk,
A spot of tea, a friendly talk.
We strolled alone beside a dark blue sea,
Our toes in the sand, enjoying the breeze.
My doggerel laughed and rhymed for a bit,
Searching for words and pieces of wit.
We passed the time ’til the sun gave way,
Then we headed for home and called it a day.
And when after dinner I poured him a drink,
He sunk into his chair and started to shrink.
His last rhyming thoughts were jumbled and weird,
But he just shook his head and then disappeared.
It would be better if this line was “Who should, by rights, be in hell.”
Park ‘er right here. Join in the fun with your own contribution to our July Group Writing theme: “The Doggerel Days of Summer.”
Interested in Group Writing topics that came before? See the handy compendium of monthly themes. Check out links in the Group Writing Group. You can also join the group to get a notification when a new monthly theme is posted.
Bad, Clifford! Bad boy!
Rimshot.
Dorothy Parker is one of my favorites!! This is terrific.
I’ve got a little list.
I’ve got a little list.
Of society offenders who never would be missed…
Doggerel national anthem?
I think I’ve mentioned that when I was at Davidson and we played Waltzing Matilda when the Australian national team entered the gym with a 75 kazoo band.