I sing of human dignity
whose absence can be seen
through lens of foul reality
within Mad Magazine !
The foibles of America,
the hubris and the glory
the paunch, the slouch, the bad-hair lives,
the real plebeian story.
Bruegel’s mobs and Ensor’s masks
improved, enhanced, updated
on comic page, until one asks:
is painting overrated?
Beardsley, Hogarth, masters all—
and acid-etched our race;
but unkind pure hilarious truth
beams forth from Alfred’s face.
The dolts, the clods, the leering fools,
the sociopathic clowns,
glitter like fractured plastic jewels
in Walmart-purchased crowns.
Alfred Neuman has the goods.
The lash, at first, feels bad
when whips of satire welt our back.
Behold the man: he’s MAD !
CONNECT/HOOK 
Timely post, since MAD reportedly is about to do a relaunch of the magazine in a new format, starting with issue #1 (after 550 previous issues).
LikeLiked by 1 person
MAD was a magazine that I
Missed out on as a child
And when at last I read it – it’s,
Just like this blog post: WILD!
LikeLike
Your comment is so perfect, it makes me MAD!
LikeLike
Mad magazine was a staple as I grew up! And you have that edge, Well done!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks !
MAD also marked my own formative years. Still wondering whether for good or for ill . . .
LikeLike