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Wonsaponatime: John Lennon's Writings as Children's Literature

The Alice Books by Lewis Carroll

I can explain all the poems that ever were invented- and a good many that haven't been invented just yet.
~Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass

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"The Jabberwocky"

`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, has 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.

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Lennon's poem, "The Faulty Bagnose," imitates the spirit and letter of Lewis Carroll's most famous nonsensical poem, "The Jabberwocky." In both poems we see the signature techniques of children's literature; neologism, portmanteau, spoonerism, onomotapoeia, punning and parody.  

"The Faulty Bagnose"

Softly, softly, treads the Mungle
Thinner thorn behaviour street.
Whorg canteel whorth bee asbin?
Cam we so all complete,
With all our faulty bagnose?

The Mungle family pilgriffs far awoy
Religeorge too thee worled.
Sam fells on the waysock-side
And somforbe on a gurled,
With all her faulty bagnose!

Our bungle speaks tonife at eight
He tell us wop to doo
And bless us cotten sods again
Oamnipple to our jew
(With all their faulty bagnose).

Bless our gurlished wramfeed
Me cursed cafe kname
And bless thee loaf he eating
With he golden teeth aflame
Give us OUR faulty bagnose!

Good Mungle blaith our meathalls
Woof mebble morn so green the wheel
Staggaboon undie some grapeload
To get a little feel
of my own faulty bagnose.

Is not OUR faulty bagnose now
Full lust and dirty hand
Whitehall the treble Mungle speak
We might as wealth be the band
Including your faulty bagnose

Give us thisbe our daily tit
Good Mungle on yer travelled
A goat of many coloureds
Wiberneath all beneath unravelled
And not so MUCH OF YER FAULTY BAGNOSE!

English 304- Children's Literature