Jabberwocky—Lewis Carroll
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!"
This poem is part of a weekly series dedicated to sharing classic poetry and beloved poems. For more articles, videos, books, and resources about faith and art, visit RabbitRoom.com.
’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.
My mom used to perform this poem to my brother and I when we were kids. We loved it! But I hadn't thought about it for decades until earlier this week when I started a parody of Jabberwocky, inspired by a local coffee shop called the Black Sheep. Parodying this poem is especially fun, since it's nonsensical to begin with, so it's like pretending you're a translator.
’Twas frigid, and my morning joe
Did fail, and forthwith through the day
All whimsy was my neuron-flow,
And my mind craved a latte.
“Beware the blackened sheep, my son!
Caffeine that bites, the scones to snatch!
Beware the house blend beans, and shun
The scent of a danish batch!”
I learnt this one as a child and haven’t heard it since then—but what a strange and happy thing how those words flooded my memory and the cadence took step almost immediately in the opening lines!