Life — August 17, 1922 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Hymn of Hate" by Dorothy Parker This is a satirical poem mocking American summer resort culture. Parker's refrain—"I hate Summer Resorts; They ruin my vacation"—frames ironic complaints about resort experiences. The poem ridicules the pretensions and tedium of these destinations: overcrowded beaches, shallow socializing, stale gossip about infidelities, and manufactured "scenery" (postcards of places like Lovers' Leap). Parker mocks both the resorts themselves and the guests who gather there, describing inane conversations about children's ailments and the performative claims of seeing rare wildlife. The satire targets the false promise that these commercial establishments offer genuine relaxation or connection to nature. Instead, Parker presents resorts as sites of social posturing, gossip, and boredom—places that ironically spoil the very vacation they promise.