The most
celebrated nonsenical poem of all time
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.