Circa 1970, I used to an avid reader of Mad Magazine. Somehow that magazine was able to convey social issues to teenage boys. More than a few social commentaries are still ringing in my head.

One poem is “This is the Land that Sam Built”.

This poem start with the above line. It adds another line. The first lines paint a very rosy picture of the USA. But eventually the poem turns dark, connecting all the bad parts of USA, like poverty and excessive military, together.

1970 was not far from 1963: America was not great, according to this poem. The poem is still relevant today.

I have tried to find it on the internet. I think there needs to a re-opening of early Mad Magazine and the subtle messages it was sending.