Lewis Carroll's beloved nonsense poem, "Jabberwocky," first appeared in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872). The poem relies upon the sounds and spellings of accepted English words for its meaning; as such, it presents a complex blend of poetry as seen and heard. To highlight this, the poem has been reproduced below -- part text, part recitation -- so that the entire poem cannot be "read" without experiencing both media. ______________________________________________________
Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.
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.
'Twas brillig and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
