"Unfortunate Coincidence": Dorothy Parker's Witty, Six-Line Trap of Love
Dorothy Parker's "Unfortunate Coincidence," published in her iconic collection Enough Rope in 1926, is a masterful example of her cynical, witty verse. In just six lines, she sets a scene of perfect romantic climax only to deliver a devastating, concise punchline. It perfectly captures the disillusionment of love, making it a foundationally brilliant piece for The Concise Verse.
The Poem
By the time you swear you’re his,
Shivering and sighing,
And he vows his passion is
Infinite, undying—
Lady, make a note of this:
One of you is lying.
The Insight: The Certainty of Deception
The poem establishes a moment of mutual romantic surrender, where the woman (the "you" of the poem) is physically and emotionally overwhelmed ("shivering and sighing"), and the man is declaring eternal love ("Infinite, undying").
The first four lines build up to this climax of romantic passion, but the final couplet acts as a chilling, conversational aside. Parker breaks the fourth wall with the direct command: "Lady, make a note of this."
The devastating punchline, "One of you is lying," transforms the poem from a simple love scene into a universal commentary on the inevitability of deception or self-deception in romance. This ending is a certainty—someone, somewhere, in this sacred moment, is untruthful. The use of a simple AABBCC rhyme scheme and steady meter allows the shocking philosophical insight to hit the reader with maximum speed and impact.
