“I think in terms of rhyme, and have since I was six years old.”
These are the words of Ogden Nash, the matchless writer of “light verse.” Equal parts poet, comedian, social commentator, and Baltimore Colts enthusiast, Nash carved out a niche in penning witty, pun-filled, and easy poetry.
Nash often used animals as the subject matter of his musings, and created poems filled with absurdities, intentional misspellings, and odd juxtapositions. Sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes silly for the sake silliness, Nash’s poems are always a fun read. Consider his poem, “Bankers are Just Like Anybody Else, Except Richer, ” a piece of social commentary written to the bankers of the day, Nash writes, in part:
Yes, if they request fifty dollars to pay for a baby you must
look at them like Tarzan looking at an uppity ape in the jungle
And tell them what do they think a bank is, anyhow, they had
better go get the money from their wife’s aunt or ungle.
By use of animal imagery, Nash personifies the banker as Tarzan putting an animal (although a noble one) in its proper place. Notice Nash’s forced perfect rhyme, how he misspells “uncle” to achieve the desired result.
At times, though, Nash’s poems were less-pointed and bereft of social commentary. Consider Nash’s poem, “Custard the Dragon, ” in which he tells the tale of the miniaturized and cowardly pet dragon. Of Custard, he writes:
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray mouse, she called her Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
The tale continues, and in the end, Custard finding the nerve to take down a dreaded scalawag pirate. Though there is no broader social commentary in the piece, the poem is meant to inspire and teach the value of courage. And inspire it did. Years later, Nash’s poem about Custard would prompt Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow to write “Puff, the Magic Dragon, ” a song made famous by Peter, Paul, and Mary.
Nash’s poetry lives on today, and is enjoyed by children and adults alike. His poems are proof: a little light verse can go a long way.
Poetry Prompt: This week we’re playing with light verse. Write an easy-reading, light piece of rhyming poetry about dragons or other mythical creatures. It may include broader social commentary, or may be silly for the sake of silliness. Either way, share your light verse with us.
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Tweetspeak’s April Dragons and Creatures Poetry Prompt:
This month’s poetry theme at Tweetspeak is Dragons and Creatures, and we’ll be composing epic poems. I’m sure of it. How do you participate?
1. Pick a creature…any creature. Need some ideas? Check out this complete list of mythical creatures. Or listen to our very own Dragons and Creatures playlist.
2. Compose your own poem about a dragon or creature.
3. Tweet your poems to us. Add a #TSCreatures hashtag so we can find it and maybe share it with the world.
4. If you aren’t a Twitter user, leave your poem here in the comment box.
5. At the end of the month, we’ll choose a poem to feature in one of our upcoming Weekly Top 10 Poetic Picks.
Last week, Maureen Doallas offered us a selection from her book, Neruda’s Memoirs. In “Thoughts Upon Seeing Alice in 3D, ” she plays with nonsense poetry, using some of Lewis Carroll’s words from “Jabberwocky.”
No doubt you
have some special talent
In my dreams. Not everyone,
after all, is born
With such a figment
for suspended animation
As you, so head o’er heels,
gyre and gimble in the wabe
Of whiffling tulgey wood and
borogoves.
Visit Maureen’s place for the full poem. Now, share a little fire-breathing light verse with us. Who’s first?
Photo by eschipul, Creative Commons via Flickr. Post by Seth Haines.
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Buy a year of Every Day Poems, just $5.99 — Read a poem a day, become a better poet. In April we’re exploring the poetry theme Dragons and Creatures.
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Maureen Doallas says
“Puff”, which even today hasn’t quite overcome its rep as being about weed, also gets kudos for being made more gender-neutral. I like girls get a nod in the song.
Thank you, Seth, for mentioning “Alice”. That was a fun poem to write.
Elizabeth W. Marshall says
How fun. Stirring up lots of childhood memories.
My beastly offering may be found here
http://www.wynnegraceappears.com/2013/23/04/Taming-The-Dragons-And-Other-Wild-Things-Under-The-Moon
Elizabeth W. Marshall says
Or maybe not so much.
Maybe this will take you over to where the wild things are
http://www.wynnegraceappears.com/2013/04/23/Taming-The-Dragons-And-Other-Wild-Things-Under-The-Moon
tammy@meadows speak says
What young heart,
scared rabbit it was,
would wait ’til dark
just because?
What serious offense
this trespasser should come,
that I’d open my eye
to stare me some?
What ugly face
would bend down low
to mine
all crooked grin
and mirthless eyes?
What bedtime tale
would any good parent speak
to strike fear
so a child would sleep?
Oh, I ain’t a-sleepin’
‘though my covers quake
I’m holding out
’til there’s no sand to shake.
Move right along
and don’t stop here
bringing your “f” that ends in “ear”.
I might be scared
but I’m used to that,
give me straight on
while I wait pancake flat.
Wild-eyed ’til dark passes thirty
sheets up to the nose,
I awake on the morning rising–
another sand-less night. I scared’im
I suppose.
(on the Sandman….I really did despise him.)
Seth Haines says
This is wicked good. I’m very impressed.
Marcy Terwilliger says
So Puff was really Custard a Dragon scared of his own shadow. With a mustard-yellow dog, a cat name Ink and a mouse named Blink, now that’s a funny story.
You see Puff the Magic Dragon means everything to me, his book is in green like he his and sits out on the coffee table please! Peter, Paul, and Mary sing about him on CD and when I die this song will play in memory of me.
Puff plays a big part in my grandchildren’s lives, they know how much their Grandma loves him and how I feel for his big eyes. It’s really more than the eyes I tell with a smile, it’s all about Puff and his great big heart. How we can pretend and dream little dreams, with pixie dust and make-believe we can be anything.
We march to songs, chase after bears, fly like birds, why we can land anywhere. Buzz like a bee, stink like a skunk, ride a pretend horse and even go to the sun. Even when my grandson was just four he played on a team and many times his Daddy caught him standing in a dream. My son would call him over and say, son pay attention to the game or I’ll take away your hand held game. Lance looked up at his Dad with tears in his eyes and said, “If I stop playing with my shadow can I have my game back please?” I looked at my son with a face you can’t see while shaking my head in sadness bend he better not disappointment me.
I’m not sure what my son told Lance that day but Lance skipped and ran back to his place. Soon a smile placed across my son’s face and he sent it my way, he knew what I thought of pretend and letting them enjoy it as long as they can.
Why Lance is the one in the Tupperware bowl hat, the one that slays dragons and that is a fact. We both ride pretend horses and play hide and seek, he’s my Peter Pan with a heart as big as Puff and I don’t want to see him grow up.
Jon Lewis says
Something quick I just penned in response to the prompt, I love Ogden Nash and silly verse.
Patches the dog,
wanted to see
if there was such a thing
as a canine toupee
you see he had,
it is clearly quite bad
case bad of mangee
since the age of three
his head and all feet four
were on top bare of fur
poor Patches was teased
and none too pleased
with the cruel snickers and jibes directed at he
from every dog and cats and a local monkey
he searched every shop and salons that do hair
but nothing was found that he was able to wear
in the end with no found wig to be found
he shaved the rest of himself and changed his name to Piggie.
Jon Lewis says
Well that is no fun
too many mistake in
that one
will teach me to ignore speed
and instead I should proof read
before I hit the “submit” butt’on