Professor Twist | Poem
A tribute to Ogden Nash (sort of)
Feb 25, 2026 · 1 min read
When I was a young boy growing up in the 1960s, I read a poem by Ogden Nash that made me want to write poetry. The poem had everything
Adventure, Tragedy, Twists, Humor
To my ten-year old self, these were the four pillars of perfection. My attitude hasn’t evolved much. If you’re familiar with my books or my Substack newsletter, you’re no doubt aware that most of my poems use these same four pillars as their foundation.
The Purist by Ogden Nash
I give you now Professor Twist,
A conscientious scientist,
Trustees exclaimed, "He never bungles!"
And sent him off to distant jungles.
Camped on a tropic riverside,
One day he missed his loving bride.
She had, the guide informed him later,
Been eaten by an alligator.
Professor Twist could not but smile.
"You mean," he said, "a crocodile."
In my continuing effort to obtain the same sort of perfection seen here, I wrote the following two poems as a tribute.
Moments later …
In case you missed it
Comments (3)
I was not expecting a happy ending! I loved the journey and the attribution, great work. Thanks for sharing!
I love how you tell the story! A friend once sent me the Ogden Nash poem and said, "This would be you." She was commenting on how I correct people on the difference between ravens and crows.