jabberwocky.jpgI first came across The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll in eighth grade. A bunch of us signed up to do a speech contest at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD. There were a lot of categories to choose from, but I chose to recite a poem. Flicking through a book of poems (I think it was actually the Childcraft Encyclopedia), I came across The Jabberwocky in all its vorpal glory. I even once wrote a Choose Your Own Adventure story based on it using html, but that’s been lost for a long time (sadly).

Unfortunately, the poem had to be three minutes long, and despite going as slow as possible, I could only make The Jabberwocky two minutes long. I instead went with some stupid poem about a highwayman back during the Revolutionary War, and needless to say, I did not advance pass the preliminary stages.

So anyhow, hit the jump to read one of my all time favourite poems!

`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.