Frederick O. Nash

Nash's middle name could have just as easily been Oasis as Ogden. Nash as a touchstone to many seeking to restore a balance to their lives.

This week David from Palo Alto, who is immersed in the complexity of the Silicon Valley, cites his fondness for the simple charms of 'The Termite' and 'The Rabbits'

Vimba, a twenty-something from Zimbabwe, when pausing for reflection, can really relate to "My Dream"

However, Behold the Stars, cites Nash as an example of boring class lecture content. I wish that I had a class that taught Nash. Seriously - it got me wondering how many colleges and high schools had Ogden Nash in their curriculum? a quick google search shows that F.O.N. is frequently linked to and referenced from elementary, high school and post-secondary web pages as supplemental reading - but precious few inclusions in the class room curriculum. The 7th graders in beautiful Berkshire mountain town, Pittsfield,Ma and the 9th graders at Valhalla high school are among the lucky few.

The arbiters of highfalutin verse at the Mackinac center, characterize Ogden Nash's work as low art, relative to the high art of T.S. Elliot. Well...different yes, but both are complex, talented and strike powerful chords within their respective audiences.

La Vida Loca

A very funny article in upstate NY's Lockport Union Sun Journal about the generation gap when it comes to living the wild life. It opens with the Ogden Nash line: “Home is like heaven and orgies are vile, but I like an orgy once in awhile.”

One Small Rhyme for Man...

One giant step for mankind and conservation. When Nash wrote 'Song of the Open Road' the outdoor advertising industry was largely unregulated and gobbling up the roadside views of American byways. It wasn't until Ladybird Johnson took aim at the industry in the 60's and banned most advertising billboards from U.S. interstates. States and municipalities followed suit with tighter restrictions.

Invariably one of the most referenced Nash poems today, Song of the Open Road leapfrogged off of Joyce Kilmer's 'Trees'. The poem often appears in articles about conservation of forests and trees like this one in India.