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OPW: “Jabberwocky”

September 14th, 2007 | In OPW, poetry 

It’s easy to become a tad too concerned with looking intelligent and serious and forget to have fun. So today on “Other People’s Words,” a heroic journey told using some utter nonsense, Lewis Carrol’s famous “Jabberwocky.”

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Jabberwocky
“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.

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6 Responses to “OPW: “Jabberwocky””

  • 1 arete —  Sep 14, 2007 at 10:34 am

    “O frabjous day!” :-)

    thanks for visiting me today!

  • 2 Natalie —  Sep 14, 2007 at 1:06 pm

    Dude! It’s my favorite poem! You’re my hero for posting this.

  • 3 sudiegirl —  Sep 15, 2007 at 8:34 pm

    I have a dear friend who can recite “Jabberwocky” by heart, and he imitates the entire cast of Rocky and Bullwinkle with his rendition (mostly Bullwinkle, of course) when doing so.

    :-D The Muppet Show also re-enacted it quite nicely as well, with Scooter as the Jabberwock killer and Rowlf as the dad.

    Calloo, callay! I chortle in my joy.

  • 4 Karen Palmer —  Sep 15, 2007 at 8:53 pm

    We studied this poem in high school. I’ve always enjoyed Alice in Wonderland so much and seem especially drawn to the illustrations. Thanks for posting this today!

  • 5 Rosie —  Sep 17, 2007 at 9:23 am

    This has always been one of my favorites!

    Thanks for the visit.

  • 6 goldcoaster —  Sep 18, 2007 at 6:04 pm

    I always thought Jabberwocky was a Monty Python thing - proves how little I know.

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