Jabberwocky Again

Twenty-five years ago, I had to memorize Jabberwocky for an English class. It has stuck with me this whole time, so in honor of author Lewis Carroll's birthday, I've decided to do a standard English rendition or translation.

I know others have done this before me, and Carroll himself commented on some of the neologisms in the poem, but I'm purposely avoiding referring to any of these sources. What follows is my best rendition of how the somsense* verses have festered in my wee brain this last quarter century.

*Jabberwocky is often called a nonsense poem, but I prefer, in the best tradition of Carroll, to call it "somsense" as most of it is standard English, and even the made-up words contain very evocative sounds.

Jabberwocky
apologies to Lewis Carroll

'Twas twilight and the slimy grove
Did twist and tremble in the breeze.
All muted were the mourning doves
And the mammals all dozed.

"Beware the jabberwock, my son.
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch.
Beware the jub-jub bird, and shun
The ferocious bandersnatch!"

He took his vicious sword in hand.
Long time the mighty foe he sought,
And rested he by the tum-tum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in oafish thought he stood,
The jabberwock with eyes of flame
Came trudging through the sludgy wood
And gurgled as it came.

One two, one two! And through and through.
The vicious blade went "snicker-snack".
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galloping back.

"Hast thou slain the jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my bashful boy.
O joyous day, hurrah, hurray!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas twilight and the slimy grove
Did twist and tremble in the breeze
All muted were the mourning doves
And the mammals all dozed.