Monday, April 25, 2011

ABC Wednesday

The letter this week is the big, round O


O is for Ogden Nash

Frederic OGDEN Nash was born in Rye, New York on August 19th, 1902.

This is the stamp that the U.S. Postal services issued to honour him on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

He was a writer of light verse, par none.  Four of his books have nestled on my shelves for almost seventy years, - books that I brought to my marriage  and have smiled and chuckled over ever since.

He is the man who loved to rhyme.  He 'had a fondness for crafting his own words whenever rhyming words did not exist, ...'   Some poets are successful at this, and some not, but Nash excelled!

It is taking me a long time to write this post because I turn page after page after page, unable to make up my mind which of his wonderful words I should write for you, smiling all the while.....

He had a penchant for small rhymes about animals and birds, but he also wrote longer humourous verses, some wry, some ironic, and some just plain funny.

Here is one entitled 'The Birds'

Puccini was Latin, and Wagner Teutonic,
And birds are incurably philharmonic.
Suburban yards and rural vistas
Are filled with avian Andrews Sisters.
The Skylark sings a roundelay,
The crow sings "The Road to Mandalay".
The nightingale sings a lullaby
and the sea gull sings a gullaby.
That's what shepherds listened to in Arcadia
Before somebody invented the radia.

and here is one,  a little poignant.

Kipling's Vermont

The summer like a rajah dies,
and every widowed tree
Kindles for Congregational eyes
An alien suttee.

about the Cuckoo he wrote

Cuckoos lead Bohemian lives,
They fail as husbands and as wives,
Therefore they cynically disparage
Everybody else's marriage.

and about The Tortoise

Come, crown my brows with leaves of myrtle
I know the tortoise is a turtle.
Come carve my name in stone immortal,
I know the turtoise is a tortle;
I know to my profound despair;
I bet on one to beat a hare.
I also know I'm now a pauper
Because of its tortley turtley torpor.

Well, I could go on and on. but instead I must advise you to go online and Google Ogden Nash so you can spend a delightful evening in his company, - or buy one of his great books from Amazon.

I leave you with a quote....


For more interesting takes on the letter O go here to Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday.

P.S.  Ogden Nash was the author of the quote "Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker"
and also, 'I often wonder which is mine.  Tolerance or a rubber spine"

18 comments:

Penny said...

Wonderful, I love Ogden Nash and those little snippets sent me looking for more.

Gigi Ann said...

I have heard of Mr. Nash, but never really read much of his writings, I see I have been missing a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing and visiting me today.

Roger Owen Green said...

I always loved his wit.

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Reader Wil said...

You're right: these verses are very funny and clever. I like the words he invented especially the gullaby and the many different turtles!

Kay L. Davies said...

Fabulous Nash quotes, Hildred! Wasn't he wonderful? My husband likes to quote him, and I like to read him.
I agree with my friend Wil, "gullaby" is a great word for a bedtime song sung by a seagull. Nash invented SO many wonderful words. Gotta love him!
You've just made my day, Hildred. Thanks!
-- K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Sylvia K said...

Oh, what a great post for the O Day! I love Ogden Nash, his wit, his writings! Love the quotes you've included! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

Sylvia
ABC Team

Carver said...

Great feature on Ogden Nash.

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm a big fan of Ogden Nash and I plan to stay immature for a long, long time yet. :)

B i r g i t t a said...

Hildred I like this post a lot :)

photowannabe said...

Love them all but the last quote is definitely the prize. I have met a few who match that description perfectly.

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

What a wonderfully nostalgic post. I loved your selection too. Timeless and dated poetry all in one. Thank you!

Wanda said...

Oh he does make one chuckle...Thanks for sharing him.. I'm sure I've heard of him, but you have brought him to life.

Christine said...

My son likes the immaturity quote, he hopes to make that goal. Thanks for the lesson on Nash, I remember his work from highschool.

Tumblewords: said...

A great wit - fine post! You've chosen a few of my favorites...

Dinah said...

Thank you for sharing about Ogden Nash. I havent had the chance to read him, but will do now.
O is Overcrowded

magiceye said...

love his work!

Dimple said...

Delightful!
I think my favorites are the quote, and the wisdom about tolerance...

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I remember laughing at Ogden Nash --I've always loved words and wordplay. But I haven't thought of him for years and now I've added to my 'read again' list. The cuckoo poem has some deeper meaning, I have (unfortunately) known people whom those lines would fit.