“Poem in the Manner of Dorothy Parker” [by David Lehman]

Poem in the Manner 

of Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker
who wrote witty stories,
did not foresee
that spectacles would be-
come fashion accessories.
"Men seldom make passes
At girls who wear glasses."

And today,
in Washington Square Park
I thought of her, Miss Parker,
and what she might say
assessing the spectacles of our day:
"Even the nicest lasses
Have tattoos on their asses."

–David Lehman

from the Village Voice poetry issue. Click here to see and hear this as well as poems by Billy Collins, Jonathan Galassi, Edward Hirsch, Marie Howe, Donna Masini, Joshua Mehigan, Victoria Redel and other poets of note.