Celebrating Ogden Nash and His Very Witty Poem About Victory Gardens

August 19, 1902 

On this day, Ogden Nash was born.

Ogden was the American poet who said, "Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker."

He also said, "Parsley is Gharsley."

Ogden wrote several poems about gardening and flowers.

His poem called My Victory Garden is a standout favorite with gardeners.

Today, my friends, I beg your pardon,
But I'd like to speak of my Victory Garden.
With a hoe for a sword and citronella for armor,
I ventured forth to become a farmer.

On bended knee and perspiring clammily,
I pecked at the soil to feed my family,
A figure than which there was none more dramatic-er.
Alone with the bug and my faithful sciatica,
I toiled with the patience of Job or Buddha,
But nothing turned out the way it shudda.

Would you like a description of my parsley?
I can give it to you in one word--gharsley!
They're making playshoes out of my celery,
It's reclaimed rubber, and purplish yellery,
Something crawly got into my chives,
My lettuce has hookworm; my cabbage has hives,
And I mixed the labels when sowing my carrots;
I planted birdseed — it came up with parrots.
Do you wonder then, that my arteries harden
Whenever I think of my Victory Garden?

My farming will never make me famous,
I'm an agricultural ignoramus,
So don't ask me to tell a string bean from a soybean.
I can't even tell a girl bean from a boy bean.