May the Jabberwocky Forgive Me

 

Jeff– Saturday

Can anyone make sense of the madness wreaking havoc these days across our planet? Everywhere we look existential threats loom draped in the finest of modern-day Mad Hatter explanations and justifications. Simply put, we live in nonsensical times. 

And who better to lend perspective to what we face than the master of the greatest English language nonsense poem. Yes, I’m talking about Lewis Carroll’s “The Jabberwocky,” included in his 1871 novel, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, published as the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. 

But, alas, poor Lewis passed away 127 years ago last Tuesday, leaving me no choice but to offer my perspective on our times in a nonsensical parody of “The Jabberwocky.” For the purists of you out there, the original version follows my effort to “shun the “Frumious Bandersnatch.”:

 

 MY VERSION

’Twas broiling, and while slimy toes

      Did gore and grapple with the knave:

Pure Whimsy out there in the throes,

      Showed passion for the Brave.

 

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

      The trumpious Meandersnatch!”

 

Brave took his justice sword in hand;

      Long time the manic foe he sought—

He rested by the Dumbdumb tree

      His thoughts on who before him fought.

 

And, thinking of those who next would,

      The Jabberwock, with eyes aflame,

Came wafting turgid through the wood,

      Pooting on as it came!

 

One, two! One, two! Brave thrust straight through,

      But justice blade went flicker flick!

Its power lost all drained and blue.

      Now Brave must gallop back.

 

To face not slaying Jabberwock.

      And seek to rally hope not coy,

For those who wish to see the day

      When lives return to joy.

 

T’was broiling, and while slimy toes

      Did gore and grapple with the knave:

As Whimsy out there in the throes,

      Show passion for the Brave.

 

 

 

Lewis  Carroll

The Original 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.

 

Thanks, Lewis.

 

–Jeff