Dorothy Parker & Tea

Penelope

In the pathway of the sun,
In the footsteps of the breeze,
Where the world and sky are one,
He shall ride the silver seas,
He shall cut the glittering wave.
I shall sit at home, and rock;
Rise, to heed a neighbor's knock;
Brew my tea, and snip my thread;
Bleach the linen for my bed.
They will call him brave.

(make sure you add a wry little twist of sarcasm to that last line)

---

Other Works Featuring Tea
Afternoon: It reveals my middle-aged-ness, but I like this voice of a person on the verge of aging. It's a bit more reassuring than the Prufrock take on the process; perhaps that's the wry nature of Parker's poetry. It is interesting to note that each of these poems relate tea with aging (now that's something to ponder as my roots turn grey).

The Last Tea: a short story.

This excerpt from Bobbed Hair and Bathtub Gin, by Marion Mead, tells a great story about Parker being fired over tea and scones at the Plaza Hotel Tea Court.