033126

 when moons collide <br>

ringing the world's bell

033026

two-room<br>

museum showcases<br>

three artists

Review of Pogo: Prisoner of Love

Walt Kelly, 1969, Pogo: Prisoner of Love. The book begins, as they so often do, with a secessionist plot. Actually, this is the only one that does that, but it does a real bang-up job. The new anthem is popular because it's all sung on one note. You know the one, it begins "I was eating some chop suey." <br><br>

In the second part of the book, the women of the swamp, led by Miss Sis Boombah, the formidable chicken, decide that they have been mistreated. They retaliate by attempting to marry the president, who happens to be Pogo. Along the way, a treasure, a ghost, or possibly a skeleton, is discovered. Firearms are employed, to little effect. Finally, all's well that ends well. And there is cake.<br><br>

At the time of writing this book could be had for as little as $8 plus shipping.<br><br>

032826

 beachfront property on a moonless world 

Latest Publication

https://fivefleas.blogspot.com/ Three of my poems posted here yesterday.

032726

I am not reviewing the Pogo books in chronological order, as is probably obvious by now. I am having them pulled off the shelves more or less at random.

Book review: Pogo A La Sundae

Walt Kelly, 1961, Pogo a la Sundae, Simon and Schuster, paperback. Featuring Australia and the Two egg Candidates. Another book composed of Sunday comic strips, which were originally published in color in newspapers. In the book, they are black and white. <br><br>

An out of date interplanetary Olympic challenge is perpetrated and a reptile is recognized as a juvenile mammal. The scheme was put into action by a secret agent mouse. <br><br>

The games are soon interrupted by Santa Claus, or someone resembling him. At least, a sleigh is involved and someone who might be named Fidel. Also bullet holes acquired over Novosibirsk. Flying alligators and mooses are followed by the songs of the turtle (not well received). This book predicts that the world will end on November 13th of this year. We will know soon how accurate that was! Well, there is much more, including an invisible army and unrequited love. I urge you to buy Pogo a la Sundae, (which you can only get used).<br><br>

Rereading all of these books one right after the other I am noticing some curious facts. For instance, the swamp is full of cut logs against which the denizens often recline. But who logged the Okefenokee? There are never any humans present. Also the cut ends of the logs are sometimes drawn only with concentric circles and other times with concentric circles and radii. These conventions appear to vary among the books.<br><br>

At the time I wrote this review, you could get this book for $11 including shipping.<br><br>

<br><br>

032526

red tumbler <br>

he steals it off <br>

the table 

Posted with permission

 A garden post under construction.

The Downballot

 https://www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-digest-a-key-test-awaits?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=f4h7t&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email election update. Democrats flip two seats, including Trump's state rep.

032426

spring garden <br>

this one has a curl in the <br>

middle of its forehead

032326

broccoli shade <br>

eating well in the land<br> 

of the giants 

032226

the ice breaks up

at high summer

annual breach 

032126

 whales here grow large 

Jonah explores the first 

of many cities 

032026

spoiled brat 

thank God she's 

not my kid 

Book review: The Pogo Sunday Book

Walt Kelly, 1956, The Pogo Sunday Book, Simon and Shuster. This book contains a series of stories that were published over a mess of Sundays. First, the Fountain of Youth is finally found, or is it? And who is rejuvenated to fry size? Next, the swamp gets a little education. But is Deacon Mushrat really qualified to run a school? Albert Alligator is appointed truant officer because he has so much experience with truancy. This is certainly going to end well!<br><br>

Slipped into the middle is the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears, or two, or four, or even five. Who knows? Are all of these bears even alive, and how did the pelican blood get into the family? Oh, this book bears a read and a reread. Every Pogo book is silly, but this is one of the silliest, so if that's what floats your scow, you might start here.<br><br>

On we go, through owl trouble, a Martian invasion, a good old fashioned food fight, and a lifelong duel to the death. I remember reading Pogo comics in the Sunday papers, and they never made any sense at all. Good though.<br><br>

At the time of writing this review, you can get this book for about $12 including shipping.<br><br>

031926

I design websites 

for the gullible 

writers ain't that dumb 

031826

virus lit

dead humans 

rise again 

Book review: We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us s

Walt Kelly, 1972, We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us. Simon and Shuster. This book is in two parts. Part one concerns pollution and our collective responsibility for it. The book title is probably the most well known of Kelly's aphorisms. The concept seems a bit outdated, as we now recognize corporate responsibility for most pollution, but we are all implicated to some degree. This part of the book takes place chiefly in the Fort Mudge dump, where a pig and piglets ply their trade. We also get a glimpse into the workings of the Okefenokee volunteer fire department, or lack thereof.<br><br>

The second half of the book provides an amusing look at the Nixon White House. A hyena, easily recognized as Spiro Agnew, an eagle representing AG John Mitchell, and J Edgar Hoover, portrayed as a bulldog, invade the swamp. A highly sensitive computer, secretive paper dolls, and prescient wire taps ensue, along with the usual Kelly confusion. The only Pogo book with two completely separate political sections. Also noteworthy for its emphasis on pollution. NOT the only one featuring the Agnew hyena.<br><br>

My favorite character is the computer. Not really. It's the hyena.<br><br>

At the time this review was written, you could get this book for $8 plus shipping.

031726

Money 

That's what I want 

The flying lizards 

The best cover ever

031626

 sisters fly

home under weather threat

airport night 

031526

 84 degrees 

tonight's cold front show's winter 

hasn't lost its grip 

031426

 St. Patrick's Day parade today: we visited the parade route after it had gone by, walking the dog. I have NEVER seen such a post-parade mass of trash. Beads, plastic toys, cups, and just junk. My wife is going to make a mosaic using the beads.

031326

 As I mentioned before, I am not reviewing the Pogo books in chronological order. This is mainly because I have to rely on other people to get them off of the shelves and I don't think any of them can handle that. No matter, two down and a couple of dozen to go! 

I want to reiterate that many of these classic books are available for reasonable prices on the internet.

Book review: Jack Acid Society Black Book

Pogo Possum, as told to Walt Kelly, 1963,  The v Jack Acid Society Black Book. This slim volume with its distinctive black and white cover is not only the only book written by Pogo, but it is a very incisive dissection of the right wing isolationist movement. It was happening in the late '50s and it is happening again. <br><br>

Members of the Jack Acid Society, led by Molester Mole and Deacon Mushrat, are dedicated to protecting America from interlopers, Johnny come latelies, and fifth columnists. A little thought leads to the inescapable conclusion that they have to become native Americans, and so they do. They also need a blacklist, a list of all those people who are suspect. The list grows rather long. Known communists and other riff raff can't get on the list, because they aren't suspects. They're known. This leads to a bit of contention, including flounders . All is well that ends well, more or less. <br><br>

The book contains a lot of nonsense poetry, as is this the case with many books about the Okefenokee by Kelly. Minor characters, including a wood tick and a termite, and to the ambiance.<br><br>

This is the shortest Pogo book published while Kelly was alive, but the humor is as biting and hilarious as ever.<br><br>

At the time this review was written, you could get this book for about $12 including shipping.<br><br>

031126

beachcombing ain't the same here tiny moon

031026

the brain cheese birds fly from an old painting 

030926

full stop at the event corral

030826

 released 

and maybe cured 

hard rain falls

030426

pieces

on every planet 

cyborg life lis