I discovered Ogden Nash in my teens by coming across:-
"Candy is dandy
but liquor is quicker"
I collected several of his books of poetry (usually rather battered) and the "best of". Witty, clever and fun.
Today I managed to get a copy of one of his poems. It had been illustrated and produced for children, "The Adventure of Isabel" with pictures by James Marshall.
Being a bit slow, it took me a while to realise this was the poem of the song I enjoy singing along with by Natalie Merchant. In 2010, Natalie released a double CD set of nursery rhymes under the title "Leave Your Sleep". Produced as a result of conversations with her young daughter and thoroughly researched, the project is a joy and well worth exploring. It also includes poems by Jack Prelutsky, Mervyn Peake and Charles Causley.
Natalie used to be the lead singer with a band called 10,000 Maniacs. They produced some memorable music, most importantly for me the album Blind Man's Zoo. The tracks "Hateful Hate" (about the history and exploitation of Africa), "Jubilee" (one man's take on the races mixing) and "Poison in the Well" (us and the environment) would appear on my Desert Island Discs compilation.
Another poem that I first encountered as a sung version is " I come and stand at every door" by Nazim Hikmet. The song version appeared on a Pete Seeger LP back in the 1960's. It was used then in an anti-war context and is about Hiroshima and all the lost children.
Natalie used to be the lead singer with a band called 10,000 Maniacs. They produced some memorable music, most importantly for me the album Blind Man's Zoo. The tracks "Hateful Hate" (about the history and exploitation of Africa), "Jubilee" (one man's take on the races mixing) and "Poison in the Well" (us and the environment) would appear on my Desert Island Discs compilation.
Another poem that I first encountered as a sung version is " I come and stand at every door" by Nazim Hikmet. The song version appeared on a Pete Seeger LP back in the 1960's. It was used then in an anti-war context and is about Hiroshima and all the lost children.
"I come and stand at every door
But none can hear my silent tread...."
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