Poetry #1

Jabberwocky
Lewis Carroll[Rev. Charles Dodgson]
'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesdid 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 shunthe frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:Long time the maxome foe he sought-So rested he by the Tumtum tree,And stood a while in thought.
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 throughThe vorpal blade went snicker-snack.He left it dead, and with its headHe went galumphing back.
"Has thou slain the Jabberwock?Come to my arms, my beamish boy!O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay!He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.


I like this poem because it is very upbeat and positive. It is obvious;y written in a different dialect or different language and grammar than I am used to, but that merely makes it all the more interesting to me. It begins with a warning with "Beware of the Jabberwock!". This strikes a certain anxiety in the reader to find out what this fear is for. Obviously the audience does not know what a "Jabberwock" is and why to be afraid of it, but this pushes the reader to continue to find out why this oject, being, or stae should be feared. Fear inflames curiousity in people.
This made this particular poem interesting to me. I do not like being scared, but I like the anxiety of fear to a certain extent. This poem also utilizes many different aspects of imagery that make it interesting to me. The poet uses onomatopoeias to stand out to the reader and draw attention. I like the dynamics of this poem and the way that these souns roll off the tongue to the rythm of this poem.