Angelee Deodhar

The Jabberwocky and the Magpies
Lewis Caroll meets Dennis Glover

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

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 Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

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 Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said

To be read to The Mikado Overture

© 2017 Angelee Deodhar

Dr.Angelee Deodhar is an ophthalmologist turned haiku poet, haiga artist and translator from Chandigarh,India. A member of the Haiku Society of America and the Haiku International Association of Japan, and several other haiku societies around the world, she has translated six books of haiku from English to Hindi. She has edited three anthologies of international haibun, Journeys, Journeys 2015, and Journeys 2017.