Please Don’t
By Helen B. Richardson
When I am dead and silent lie
Don’t say, “Here rests a perfect guy.”
I wasn’t.
Don’t say, “Here’s one who was content
Whichever way his life was bent.”
I wasn’t.
Don’t say, “He had a temper sweet,
Misfortune he did gaily meet.”
I didn’t.
Don’t say, “He passed temptation by
And looked things squarely in the eye” –
I didn’t –
And never, never told a lie –
I did.
(1936)
Regrettably, meanies have stolen content from Keepa in the past! I'm confident you will choose honesty and cite this page like this:
MLA: Parshall, Ardis E. "Please Don't." Keepapitchin.org, 20 Mar 2012, https://keepapitchinin.org/2012/03/20/please-dont/.
APA: Parshall, A. (2012, Mar 20). Please Don't. Keepapitchinin.org. https://keepapitchinin.org/2012/03/20/please-dont/
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Comments are closed.
Wow, I really like that.
What strikes me is seeing (presumably, given the name) a woman speaking in the male voice. It is hard not to read this as an accusation, for if she meant to reveal her own failings (which I would surely identify with) she would have use “she” instead of “he.” (was it all so she could use the rhyme “guy”?)
I like it, but the added layer of gender ambiguity creates complexity the suggest multiple intended meanings.
Coffinberry — that does add an interesting layer to it, as does thinking that perhaps it might be a wife writing an obit for her already dead husband …