Die Heimkehr
LXXII
Und bist du erst mein ehlich Weib,
Dann bist du zu beneiden,
Dann lebst du in lauter Zeitvertreib,
In lauter Pläsier und Freuden.
Und wenn du schiltst und wenn du tobst,
Ich werd es geduldig leiden;
Doch wenn du meine Verse nicht lobst,
Laß ich mich von dir scheiden.
*
If you shall be my faithful wife
Then fortune on you shines.
You'll live a gay and carefree life
Of leisurely pastimes.
And if you scold and if you rave
I'll abide it all with pleasure.
But if my poems you will not praise
Then let us split forever.
Dorothy Parker:
Fighting Words
Say my love is easy had,
Say I'm bitten raw with pride,
Say I am too often sad—
Still behold me at your side.
Say I'm neither brave nor young,
Say I woo and coddle care,
Say the devil touched my tongue—
Still you have my heart to wear.
But say my verses do not scan,
And I get me another man!
Posted by: Anon | June 26, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Thanks Anon, I love Dorothy Parker, but somehow I'd missed this one.
Posted by: Justin E. H. Smith | June 26, 2011 at 01:07 PM