Author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Daughters of Destiny, The Visitors from Oz, etc.
Originally published in The Baum Bugle, Vol. 1, No. 2, October 1957. Baum sent this verse as a letter to Mrs. C. B. Boothe on June 26, 1910. Notice the Oz reference--Imogene the cow was Dorothy Gale's companion from Kansas in the 1903 Broadway musical of The Wizard of Oz.
My dear Mrs. Boothe,
I'm grateful in truth
For that delicatessence of cheese.
The moment I viewed it
Before e'en I chewed it,
I knew it my palate would please.
So dainty and creamy,
So luscious and dreamy
Were those precious golf balls of cheese;
I scarce had the gumption
To test their consumption,
My appetite's lust to appease.
I'm sure that the "Dutch"
Never made any such;
No "cottage" could turn out such cheese.
While "schmeer-case" and "curd"
Are both, on my word,
Excelled by your product with ease.
Epicurean pride
Should have made me divide,
With those who for portions might tease;
But like a Jack Horner
I went in a corner
And gobbled up all of that cheese!
Of bovines the queen
Is our dear Imogene,
From her was extracted the squeeze
Which by your direction
Became that perfection:
The Boothe brand of Angel Food Cheese.
I thank you indeed
For that wonderful feed;
'Twas better by many degrees
Than any I've had
Since, when as a lad,
I feasted on "Ma's Cottage Cheese!"
THE FORGETFUL POET
By Ruth Plumly Thompson
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, January 6, 1918.
Originally published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, January 6, 1918.
A Round of Riddles
The Forgetful Poet says he hopes Mr. G. Ography will soon return, because you are too much for him, and there's no fun writing riddles you can guess. Besides, he says he must get back to his serious poetry. (Help!)
Last week's answers were: A wave, bee, bird, toad and cat.
? ? ? ? ?
Part of a fish is used in weighing,
An athlete in used in sleighing;
Part of a river's a very fine fruit,
Also in a river's a boy's name, to boot.
Why is a road like a clock?
What necessity of war
Is found at the shore?
The third letter from the end of the alphabet, a measure and a boy's name will give a word meaning anticipation.
Why is a fisherman like a jailer?
Please send your answers to the Forgetful Poet in care of the Boys' and Girls' Department.
[Answers next time. This is a historical presentation of Ruth Plumly Thompson's writing. No prizes will be awarded, so don't send anything in.]
Copyright © 2006 Eric Shanower and David Maxine. All rights reserved.
