Poetry Month #6: Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

John Hurt and Charlie Rose

This poem always makes me feel young and carefree.  

I was sitting in a hammered dulcimer class a few years ago and something set the instructor and I off and we recited this in unison.  I think the class thought we were crazy, but we had fun.  

When actor John  Hurt was on the Charlie Rose show, Hurt commented that Alice in Wonderland is the book that he would take with him to a desert island and proceeded to do a most infectiously joyful recitation of Jabberwocky. Don't miss this moment: Click Here


 Jabberwocky

by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

   Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

   And the mome raths outgrabe.

‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

  The frumious Bandersnatch!

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

   Long time the manxome foe he sought –

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

   And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

   The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

   And burbled as it came!

One, two!  One, two! And through and through

   The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

   He went galumphing back.

‘And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

   Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day!  Callooh, Callay!

   He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

   Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

   And the mome raths outgrabe.