Here is a little nerd
humor to help relieve the rigors of the new work week. The one from page 94 of a
1961 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine is typical of the day,
depicting the emotional attachment people had to their television sets. It might
not be as bad as today's life-giving virtual umbilical cord between cellphones
and addicts, but it could get pretty bad. The page 103 comic shows the other side
of the TV phenomenon, which belonged to the repairmen. Intermittent problems in
circuits were and still are the bane of any troubleshooter's existence. Artist
Ingram chose to express his frustrations in the manner of Joyce Kilmer's famous
poem, "Trees." I posted the poem next to the comic for comparison. I have to
admit that I thought Joyce Kilmer was a woman, but in the day men also had what
is commonly regarded today as a woman's name - kind of like
A Boy Named Sue.
"Take this tranquilizer and lie down and relax.
I'll try to
get your set fixed in time for you to see 'Gunsmoke'."
Page 94
"Trees" (1913)
By Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a
tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet
flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy
arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her
hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
