Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

Today is the first day of the Spring semester. It is also 182 years since the birth of my favorite author and poet, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll). In commemoration of him and in hopes of a wonderful semester of educational improvement and self improvement, I will share one of my favorite poems written by him, Jabberwocky.

I have always loved this poem for its narrative technique, it's fun tone, and it's creation of strange characters, such as the Jabberwock and Bandersnatch. One of the most common misconceptions of this poem is that Jabberwocky is simply the name of the poem, but the actual creature is named Jabberwock.

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.