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2002 Pulitzer nominee Poetry

Cheating the Greeting Cards with Revolt for Originality

Loose Leaves column, 1st run Sunday 22 April 2001 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2001 Donrey Media Group BIG CEDAR LODGE, Mo. — What can be worse than amateur poetry? Perhaps only off-key singing by a relative you dare not criticize. On the other hand, what is better […]

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Fables Poetry

Bush Versus Gore in Verses Leaves Voters to Curses

Loose Leaves, 1st run Sunday 6 August 2000 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben Pollock Copyright 2000 Donrey Media Group DATELINE MIRTHOLOGY — The first presidential debate was held just last night. Due to its nature, improvisational rhyming, it was short. Due to its participants, a winner could not be determined by […]

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2001 Pulitzer nominee Fables Poetry

Tapping Trees to Sing and Shop Amid Thoughtful Growth

Loose Leaves, 1st run Sunday 21 May 2000 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben Pollock Copyright 2000 Donrey Media Group DATELINE MIRTHOLOGY — Jasper Jacks was surprised by the outcry over his Wise Acres shopping center. He could think of many reasons why residents protest, but they only had one. Let’s see, […]

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2001 Pulitzer nominee Poetry

Americans Can’t Just Let It Snow

For all the times we make fun of the TV meteorologists and the National Weather Service, not to mention the private forecast services, nobody admits how often right they are these days. When they are wrong, it’s usually only by a matter of hours.

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2000 Pulitzer nominee Fables Poetry

When the chips fall, make lemonade

Loose Leaves, 1st run Tuesday 27 July 1999 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1999 Donrey Media Group Is there no justice anymore? I kept trying to commission a kangaroo to hear my two litigations, but Rent-A-Roo has been booked solid for weeks. Apparently, they’ve been kept hopping with […]

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2000 Pulitzer nominee Poetry

The Search Is Continuing, an Elegy

Loose Leaves, first published Tuesday 20 July 1999 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben Pollock Copyright 1999 Donrey Media Group I got out of kindergarten one day — Perhaps all us kids were free: Class canceled? Jan-girl had the TV volume up high So Mom, Sis, me would find no word muffled. […]

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2000 Pulitzer nominee Poetry

Balladeer Commandeers All the Ears

Loose Leaves, first published Tuesday 13 April 1999 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben Pollock Copyright 1999 Donrey Media Group DATELINE MIRTHOLOGY — Gus Donenough stood up to silence the Donenough Foundation board so that he could introduce the poet. Nearly everything was ready for the upcoming Live-Stock Town Fair. Plenty of […]

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1991 Pulitzer nominee Poetry

‘Watch for Hail’ when Life’s a ‘Bed of Roses’

Mirthology column, 1st run Wednesday 18 April 1990 in the Arkansas Democrat By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1990 Ben S. Pollock Retirement had been no bed of roses for Mildred Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith, especially since it was not voluntary. The recent visit from the governor, however, meant an escape from leisure. Mildred reprimanded herself […]