Jabberwocky or Glorious Nonsense

I have loved this poem since I was a little girl.

I think I heard it first from my dad.

Other than from him, this is my favorite reading of it.

You can follow along with the words. It makes it a little easier.

JABBERWOCKY

by Lewis Carroll

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

`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, has 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.

.

It also reminds me of going to scout leader training with my parents.

When someone would say "We have a few announcements" everyone would sing the Announcements-are-a-horrible-way-to-die song, then someone would yell "Speak freak!" and someone else would yell "Jabber wocky!"

I wonder if I'm ever going to teach that to my cub scouts...

And if you are interested in more places and things this poem has affected >>>click here<<<.