Welcome back to the Daily Poem here in the Close Freeds Podcast Network. I'm David Kerr.

Today's poem is by Ogden Nash, Frederick Ogden Nash, an American poet who lived from 1902 to

1971. He was known particularly for his light verse and apparently was the country's best known producer of humorous poetry during his life.

The poem that I'm going to read today is called The Tale of Custard the Dragon.

I don't know if I'll be able to read it again. We'll see how long it takes me, but I do have a couple comments I wanted to offer up about this one.

So here it is.

Belinda lived in a little white house with a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,

and a little yellow dog and a little red wagon, and Aurelio, Trulio, Little Pet Dragon.

Now the name of the little black kitten was ink, and the little gray mouse,

she called her blink, and a little yellow dog was sharp as mustard, but the dragon was a coward,

and she called him custard. Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth and spikes on top of him and scales underneath, Mouth like a fireplace chimney for a nose,

and Rilio, Trulio, daggers on his toes.

Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,

and ink and blink chased lions down the stairs.

Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage.

It Custard cried for a nice, safe cage.

Belinda tickled him.

She tickled him unmerciful. Ink, blink, and mustard they rudely called him Percival. They all sat laughing in the little red wagon at the

Rilio, truly, oh cowardly dragon. Belinda giggled until she shook the house, and Blink said,

Weak at which is giggling for a mouse. Ink and mustard rudely asked his age when Custard cried for a nice, safe cage.

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound, and Mustard growled, and they all looked around.

Meouch! cried Ink, and ow! cried Belinda, for there was a pirate climbing in the window.

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