Tag: Lewis Carroll

Found in Chapter 1 of Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, “Jabberwocky” is my absolute, most favorite poem. I love the nonsense words he uses like brillig, slithy, frumious, and frabjous. When I read this poem, I picture a king sending his son to hunt down the Jabberwock, like old tales of knights hunting dragons. The joy of the king is contagious when his son returns alive, having slain the beast. “O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” This is such a fun poem to read.

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.