A Night on the Town

[MHenry]

A Night on the Town

In hat, tails, and cane
The canine, too proud to ask
Charges his second
With the task of marshalling
Chad for a night on the town



Another Gary Larson cartoon reinterpretation in the form of a tanka.

This one appeared in The New Yorker. I don't know the date.

The cartoon shows a dog in hat, cane, and tails with mother informing father she thinks 'the dog wants to go out.'

[RhymeLovingWriter]

I think you have found a rich source of prompt material MHenry - and are doing a fine job of reinterpreting in tanka form!

[MHenry]

Thank you, RLW, for the look and the like. This prompt came to me at dinner with friends who showed me this napkin they had saved after I told them I was writing poetry and has used Gary Larson cartoons as inspiration. Thanks for indulging! I think you should reinterpret some 'Love Is...' cartoons!

[RhymeLovingWriter]

I haven't seen those in years! I think I will! Thanks for the idea.

[AlexandratheLate]

Love the inspiration MH and your tanka. I'm a cartoon lover and your writings have inspired me to take a look at some.

[MHenry]

Thanks, AG! It is fun to read cartoons to reinterpret them! I appreciate your comments.

[Suz-zen]

MHenry i remember this one!! and this tanka is a delight!! an artist as good as if not better than MR. L!!

[MHenry]

Thank you, Suz-zen, You are too kind! I hadn't run across this cartoon in my recent travels, but Saturday night I had dinner with friends, and after holding them down for hours forcing them to read my poetry and telling them about my Larson reinterpretations, they produced the Larson napkin. One of my friends is a retired literary agent, so he did have some advice for me, which boils down to just keep plugging!

[lunar glide]

another delight from you. I think your fun approach would be very successful and your serious writing too. I agree with your friend. don't stop!

[MHenry]

thank you for your support, lg! I do enjoy creating things with words, and am fortunate to have an audience in the RhymeZone to share my poetry and to read what wonders you and the others conjure for my reading pleasure!

[Bobby Del Boy]

Every dog must have his day, or night on the town. Fun,fun, fun MH!

[MHenry]

Thanks for checking in, BDB!

[grant hayes]

These Larson ekphrastics read mysteriously without their reference in a way that I quite like, though I don't think they are quite independent. You have certainly made of this tanka a veritable bonne bouche of devices, Maestro.

tails, cane, canine,

charges, marshaling

ask, task

charges, Chad

Very tasty indeed!

[MHenry]

Hi, grant, Sensei, Agreed, the tanka are not independent of the Larson cartoons, and I think that is by design, as I aim for a reinterpretation true to the cartoon, but not simply a restatement. Although I have come to think a restatement is okay, so long as it is a tanka. Sometimes, a reinterpretation does not present itself in the time available to me, so I settle for the restatement. In either case, my intent is to celebrate the Larson sensibility, not depart from it.

You have uncovered all my poetic devices!

[rhymetime]

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