Jabberwocky -
Jane wrote this, this morning. As you may know, Jane and Jim have committed to the art and joy of memorizing poems. It is a noble New Year's vow!
Jane:
We have begun the poem a week memorization and the winner is Jabberwocky. Traditional, perhaps even predictable. But inspiring. Once we chose it Jim and I tried remembering the parts we knew and then found ourselves in full pursuit of the definitive version. Waiting for friends before dinner on Friday night we found ourselves across the street from a neighborhood bookstore on Potrero Hill that had 15% off all books. We were pull as if by the tide to its small and bright interior. I found a matched set of Through the Looking Glass and Alice in Wonderland whose illustrations had been pressed from Tenniel's original woodcuts. The books were hard bound, the edges of the pages were leafed in gold and silver and with the discount we left the store a few minutes later, poorer by 29.99. Such a deal. We repaired to the bar of Chez Papa to finish our wait and spent the next few minutes with a nice Vacqueryas and frites with aioli, memorizing Jabberwocky. Throughout the weekend, one or the other of us would suddenly start spouting "One, two. One, two. And through and through/The vorpal blade went snicker-snack." While cooking. While folding the laundry. While putting in the winter bulbs. While hiking on Saturday to the West Point Inn on Mt. Tam in the rain. It helps, I think, to have started with a poem that rhymes. The made up words seem to help too as does the action of the fight of the Jabberwock. For me the best part has been the shared endeavor. “O frabjous day! Calloo. Callay.”