Ogden Nash | dual personalities

Tomorrow is the birthday of Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971), an American poet known for his light verse. This poem, which I haven’t thought about for years and years, was a great favorite of mine as a child. Remember “The Tale of Custard the Dragon”?

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 him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

You can read the whole poem here.

Our copy was in “The Golden Treasury of Poetry” illustrated by Joan Walsh Anglund.

I wonder if people still read Nash’s poems to their children as our parents did. Studies show, of course, that reading to one’s children is one of the most effective ways to build the “language” neural connections in their growing brains as well as a strong base for cognitive development. Indeed, babies who are read to have their “receptive” vocabularies (number of words they understand) increased 40 per cent, while those not read to increase by only 16 per cent. (Studies show!)

Well, a toast to old Ogden Nash and a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

While on the subject of reading, John Piper gives 10 reasons for reading the Bible every day. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

(Painting by Mary Cassatt: “Mrs Cassatt Reading to her Grandchildren” -1888)

6 Comments

December 13, 2017

Just a reminder

by chuckofish

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.

But how about the children, have you taken thought of that?
What about the little boy that lives down the lane,
Ragged in the snowstorm, whistling in the rain?
What about the little girl the other side of town?
There’s no one she can run to, and her world is falling down.
Dead father, drunken father, father gone away,
Sick mother, no mother, think of them today.
These are the lost ones, little ones alone.
These too are Maryland, these are our own.
Christmas is coming, and shall they be dismayed?
Send a Merry Christmas check to the Children’s Aid.

–Ogden Nash, a former president and longtime board member of the Children’s Aid Society of Maryland, wrote this poem in 1942.

Well, this is just a humble reminder that we should all think of others at this time of year and not just ourselves and our own loved ones. It is easy to get carried away with all the hoopla, isn’t it?

One of the charities I support is the Episcopal City Mission, which was started back in 1894 when Charles Holmes, a lay person at Christ Church Cathedral here in my flyover town, organized volunteers from the cathedral to minister at City Hospital, the City Jail, the City Workhouse, and the Asylum. Thus was born the House Missions, which was known under various names until it became Episcopal City Mission in the 1950’s. With the establishment of juvenile facilities in the city, the ministry grew to include pastoral care for children.

Eventually, other Protestant denominations joined in this important ministry to those confined in the public institutions of St. Louis. In 1953 the decision was made to divide the ministry to these institutions among various denominations. The Episcopal Diocese chose to work with troubled youth and asked to continue the ministry to children in detention under the name of Episcopal City Mission (ECM). Its ministry to youth was firmly established in the Juvenile Detention Centers and recognized by the Family Court System. ECM became the agency authorized by the Court System to provide for the ongoing spiritual needs of detained children in St. Louis City and County.

Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 11.24.56 AM.png

Current chaplains at ECM

Small world department: The chaplain on the right was a youth leader when the boy was active in K-Life back in middle school. He has definitely stepped up. Good to see him still walking the walk.

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

–BCP, Prayers and Thanksgivings

3 Comments

August 19, 2016

I have it on good authority

by chuckofish

Friday already, you say! This sure has been a busy week at work and it flew by. And that is okay.

Abracadabra, thus we learn,
The more you create, the less you earn.
The less you earn, the more you’re given,
The less you lead, the more you’re driven,
The more destroyed, the more they feed,
The more you pay, the more they need
The more you earn, the less you keep,
And now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul should take
If the tax collector hasn’t got it before I wake.

Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) wrote that and his birthday is today. Tonight I will toast Ogden Nash and also Blaise Pascal who died on this day in 1662. You remember, he had a religious experience on November 23, 1654, a “definitive conversion” during a vision of the crucifixion:

“From about half-past ten in the evening until about half-past twelve … FIRE … God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and not of the philosophers and savants. Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace.”

He recorded the experience on a piece of parchment, which he carried with him the rest of his life, sewn inside his coat.

dual personalities

Tag: Ogden Nash

August 18, 2020

A barrel full of bears

by chuckofish

December 13, 2017

Just a reminder

by chuckofish

August 19, 2016

I have it on good authority

by chuckofish