A rather late post but I’ve still made it (just) inside National Poetry Day.

I couldn’t let today pass without sharing my favourite poem: Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. This is my favourite for a number of reasons. It gets the top spot partly because I just love the nonsense and the rhythm and the language of this poem. I never tire of hearing it or reading it. More significantly though, I love it because of the memories I have associated with it. I first heard Jabberwocky from the lips of my much loved grandpa. He loved poetry and had many memorised (in fact that’s how he wooed my gran!) and this is one I clearly remember him sharing with me. I thought it was wonderful and he took the time to teach it to me. It is, to this day, the only poem I have ever managed to memorise and I think of my grandpa every time I hear it, read it, or recite it.
Jabberwocky 

By Lewis Carroll
’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 hast 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.
Happy National Poetry Day! What’s your favourite poem?