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Tag: Wizard of Oz

To be in Kansas, nevermore

Some things exist beyond belief:
one might say angels, gods and such,
the perfect crime, the honest man,
safe diet pills, clean nuclear bombs;

while others, cynics to be sure,
add divine guidance, royal blood,
a true religion, rightful kings,
some kind of destiny, and fate.

For me, the things most hard to grasp
most others build foundations by;
I wonder how to justify
destroying in religion’s name,

exacting vengeance on a child,
enforcing segregated proms,
and with such blind and hateful rage
to claim your way a path of peace.

Why not let live, and try the same,
and when you click your heels, return
to Kansas, where you might just find
the winged monkeys you wish for.

06 APR 2013

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The Wizard of Oz

Ah, the Sunday evening movie hour approaches, and for probably the 57th time in my life, I will sit down and watch the Wizard of Oz. This time, however, I will not be tripping my ass off, nor will I be desparately sync’ing the soundtrack with Dark Side of the Moon. And this time, it will be the third time after reading Gregory MacGuire’s wonderful book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. If you are not familiar with this work, I highly recommend picking it up – particularly if the anti-witch propaganda presented in the L. Frank Baum version seemed a bit one-sided. Hear of the dear one, Elphaba, unfortunately born at birth with a VERY olive complexion, fighting for the rights of Talking Animals, trying to return power to Queen Ozma after it had been usurped by the dictator Wizard, and wonder over her interactions with a very insipid, vapid and over-the-top nincompoop roommate at college, Glinda. Mourn as she accepts the death of her sister thanks to a know-it-all meddler from Kansas.

Ah, the humanity …

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