What fictional town in pop culturedom would you like to visit?

Puff, the magic dragon 
Lived by the sea. 
And frolicked in the autumn mist 
In a land called Honah Lee…

45 RPM of Puff the Magic Dragon. Only 39¢

This week’s assignment for the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is to write a post about a trip I’d like to take anywhere in pop culturedom. What fictional town, time, or world would I like to visit?

Magic Gone by Bill Adams

I love this assignment. Many ideas came to mind, including many places mentioned in songs. Some towns and landmarks are fictional and some are not. For example, the northern town mentioned Dream Academy’s  Life In A Northern Town is a place in pop culturedom I’d love to visit, but it’s actually a real place, West Yorkshire. By the way, that was one of my favorite blog posts, and unfortunately, only two people read it.

I also thought of the reservoir in Springsteen’s The River, however I’m pretty sure it’s not fictional. In fact, I think I already visited it. It’s that dry river bed in southeast Kansas, which I visited a few times in high school with Joe and Jamie. These adventures were far more innocent than they sound, which is too bad.

JUST KIDDING!

I also thought of the fictional neighborhood of New Zoo Revue fame. It would be a blast to hang out with Henrietta Hippo and Freddie the Frog. (And you gotta click that link. It’s a post about the New Zoo Revue talking to kids about sperm. Those were the days, Gen Xers.)

So, I guess if I really could visit any place in pop culturedom it would be Honah Lee, the fictional land made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary in Puff the Magic Dragon.

When I was seven years old, something happened that pretty much changed the course of my life in ways I did not fully realize until I had children of my own. Puff the Magic Dragon helps me remember to some small degree the way things were before this event, and it reminds me of the way life was after it.

Another Puff album

It’s as if there are two files for Puff and Jackie Paper; painted wings and Honah Lee. There’s the file before the age of seven and a different file for the years that followed. I’d love to visit the Honah Lee represented in that first file. Who wouldn’t want to ride on a giant dragon tail in a place marked by billowed sails and autumn mist?

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In the fall of 1986, Noel Paul Stookey did a concert at my first alma mater, Southern Nazarene University. He performed many wonderful songs including El Salvador, but he closed with Puff the Magic Dragon. Two things happened simultaneously that night. The world narrowed, while the possibilities became unlimited.


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What fictional place in pop culturedom would you like to visit?

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Lyrics to Puff the Magic Dragon

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Here are a couple of posts from league participants. Nearly two dozen bloggers participated this week.

Hogwarts by Q the Adult: My Single Grown Up Life
Paris Opera House by Shez Crafti
Nilbog by Henchgirl (Very unique looking blog!)