Originally posted Sept. 20, 2005

I'm not feeling particularly great today...something has been going around the office and I think it's finally having a showdown with my immune system. I feel utterly devoid of brain power...I couldn't even finish the Tuesday NYT crossword!...and my boss and I, who are going to be on vacation the same week (but not together, obviously) at the beginning of October, are like a team trying to battle this. He hasn't been feeling great either, and we've been trying to avoid getting everyone's germs. He just came back from lunch and I thrust an Airborne tablet in his hand and said, "John, drink this!" Anyway, for lack of energy and ability to write a true blog entry, I thought I'd post one of my favorite poems below, in honor of my completion of the Narnia series. Lewis Carroll really had a way with those made-up words. I was introduced to this poem in 5th grade by my teacher, Mrs. Suwannath, who was the first person who really inspired me to go into writing. We wrote "model" poems off Jabberwocky, and also drew pictures of what we thought was going on in this poem. I don't remember what I thought a Bandersnatch looked like. I'd be interested to see my drawing again.

JABBERWOCKY

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.