Saturday, October 31, 2009

Freestyle Poem Jabberwoky.

"Jaberwoky" (1871)by Lewis Carol. page 484.
Remembering my first impression from my childhood I decided to read it again to see if I could find deeper meaning than the nonsence I saw as a child. Indeed our text has taught me to look beyond the words and ask the question "What could the writer possibly be saying in this poem?"
The tone is written in a whimsical dactylic meter of the traditional five feet per line. (I think?)

The story is about combatting a creature of some power, but add the whimsical tone and jibberish words you might see the author saying that battles like this are as nonsensical as the words in the poem indicate. The author provides a warning that is not jibberish in saying "Beware the Jabberwok my son" (5) this could be viewed as a warning to readers about wasting time on non-sense or Jabberwocks. Carrol might also be saying you can read any meaning you want into poetry.
Read the poem and the follow up conversation between one of carrols iconic characters "Alice" and "Humpty Dumpty" a self proclaimed expert on poetry that has been written and will be written, and try to decipher Carrols intent for yourself.

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