WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.250 align:middle line:90% 00:00:02.250 --> 00:00:09.480 align:middle line:84% So I thought maybe that would, since it was a Frost poem, 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:10.560 align:middle line:90% would do to start. 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:13.800 align:middle line:84% But then I thought maybe we should do something else. 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:16.420 align:middle line:90% 00:00:16.420 --> 00:00:21.930 align:middle line:84% And so I thought about a poem that is much anthologized. 00:00:21.930 --> 00:00:23.520 align:middle line:90% It was not written by a poet. 00:00:23.520 --> 00:00:26.580 align:middle line:84% It was written by a mathematician who published 00:00:26.580 --> 00:00:29.040 align:middle line:90% mathematical treatises, mostly. 00:00:29.040 --> 00:00:33.900 align:middle line:84% It was published in the mid-1800s. 00:00:33.900 --> 00:00:36.570 align:middle line:84% I think just about the time of the Civil War, perhaps 00:00:36.570 --> 00:00:37.680 align:middle line:90% before that. 00:00:37.680 --> 00:00:42.540 align:middle line:84% A British poet, and it was not published to stand alone. 00:00:42.540 --> 00:00:46.320 align:middle line:84% It was published as part of a book for children. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:51.240 align:middle line:84% You're catching on, I think, who I'm talking about. 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:54.450 align:middle line:90% How about Alice in Wonderland? 00:00:54.450 --> 00:01:00.270 align:middle line:84% Lewis Carroll in his most anthologized poem. 00:01:00.270 --> 00:01:04.620 align:middle line:84% I'll see if I can say it, but I would 00:01:04.620 --> 00:01:07.320 align:middle line:90% like you to join me in it. 00:01:07.320 --> 00:01:10.230 align:middle line:84% I think there are probably a lot of people in this audience who 00:01:10.230 --> 00:01:12.840 align:middle line:90% know it by heart. 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:17.280 align:middle line:84% And so we, perhaps we can say it. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:21.960 align:middle line:84% It's "Jabberwocky," the famous "Jabberwocky" poem, so much 00:01:21.960 --> 00:01:26.597 align:middle line:90% anthologized by Lewis Carroll. 00:01:26.597 --> 00:01:27.180 align:middle line:90% Are you ready? 00:01:27.180 --> 00:01:30.200 align:middle line:90% 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:32.450 align:middle line:90% Help me now. 00:01:32.450 --> 00:01:33.830 align:middle line:90% I may forget. 00:01:33.830 --> 00:01:39.140 align:middle line:84% "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimbal 00:01:39.140 --> 00:01:44.000 align:middle line:84% in the wabe, all mimsy were the borogoves, 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.960 align:middle line:90% and the mome raths outgrabe." 00:01:47.960 --> 00:01:50.150 align:middle line:90% Now the father speaks. 00:01:50.150 --> 00:01:54.360 align:middle line:90% "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! 00:01:54.360 --> 00:02:00.030 align:middle line:84% The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! 00:02:00.030 --> 00:02:05.840 align:middle line:84% Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.400 align:middle line:90% 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:10.169 align:middle line:90% Now it's the son. 00:02:10.169 --> 00:02:15.735 align:middle line:84% "He took his vorpal sword in hand, and long the-- 00:02:15.735 --> 00:02:16.400 align:middle line:90% Long time. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:20.580 align:middle line:90% - --manquished foe he sought. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:22.240 align:middle line:84% Long the manquished foe he sought. 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:22.740 align:middle line:90% He-- 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:23.475 align:middle line:90% So rested he-- 00:02:23.475 --> 00:02:28.950 align:middle line:84% So rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood awhile in thought. 00:02:28.950 --> 00:02:32.580 align:middle line:84% And while in uffish thought he stood, 00:02:32.580 --> 00:02:35.970 align:middle line:84% the Jabberwock with eyes of flame, 00:02:35.970 --> 00:02:43.380 align:middle line:84% came whiffling through the turgy wood, and burbled as it came! 00:02:43.380 --> 00:02:43.980 align:middle line:90% One, two! 00:02:43.980 --> 00:02:44.820 align:middle line:90% One, two! 00:02:44.820 --> 00:02:46.590 align:middle line:84% And through and through the vorpal 00:02:46.590 --> 00:02:49.110 align:middle line:90% blade went snicker-snack! 00:02:49.110 --> 00:02:55.490 align:middle line:84% He left it dead, and with its head he came galumphing back. 00:02:55.490 --> 00:02:59.246 align:middle line:84% 'And, hast thou killed the Jabberwock? 00:02:59.246 --> 00:03:00.360 align:middle line:90% Come to my arms. 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:04.290 align:middle line:90% Come to my arms, my beamish boy! 00:03:04.290 --> 00:03:05.970 align:middle line:90% Oh frabjous day! 00:03:05.970 --> 00:03:06.510 align:middle line:90% Callooh! 00:03:06.510 --> 00:03:10.740 align:middle line:90% Callay!' He chortled in his joy. 00:03:10.740 --> 00:03:15.090 align:middle line:84% 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimbal 00:03:15.090 --> 00:03:18.840 align:middle line:84% in the wabe, all mimsy were the borogoves, 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:21.270 align:middle line:90% and the mome raths outgrabe." 00:03:21.270 --> 00:03:22.410 align:middle line:90% You guys are good. 00:03:22.410 --> 00:03:23.340 align:middle line:90% You're good, yes. 00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:26.686 align:middle line:90% [APPLAUSE] 00:03:26.686 --> 00:03:31.000 align:middle line:90% 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:35.980 align:middle line:84% You know, it is purported that the poem 00:03:35.980 --> 00:03:37.600 align:middle line:90% was written for children. 00:03:37.600 --> 00:03:40.210 align:middle line:90% But I think differently. 00:03:40.210 --> 00:03:45.970 align:middle line:84% And I'm thinking about how really contemporary it is. 00:03:45.970 --> 00:03:49.870 align:middle line:84% We, the old men, the fathers, send our sons and daughters 00:03:49.870 --> 00:03:51.160 align:middle line:90% into war. 00:03:51.160 --> 00:03:53.020 align:middle line:90% And we're still doing it. 00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:59.290 align:middle line:84% We first demonize the would-be enemy, the Jabberwock, 00:03:59.290 --> 00:04:03.170 align:middle line:90% the claws that catch, et cetera. 00:04:03.170 --> 00:04:06.730 align:middle line:84% And then we send our sons and daughters into war. 00:04:06.730 --> 00:04:12.470 align:middle line:84% And then they come galumphing back in some state or another, 00:04:12.470 --> 00:04:16.660 align:middle line:84% often not the state they went in, often in very bad shape. 00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:19.374 align:middle line:84% And we're beginning to realize how bad that can be. 00:04:19.374 --> 00:04:22.780 align:middle line:90% 00:04:22.780 --> 00:04:26.980 align:middle line:84% And if the men, if the old men, if the fathers had to go, 00:04:26.980 --> 00:04:29.700 align:middle line:84% we would have a lot fewer wars, I think. 00:04:29.700 --> 00:04:31.420 align:middle line:90% Perhaps none at all. 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:35.670 align:middle line:84% So I think this poem really reflects what's been going on 00:04:35.670 --> 00:04:38.640 align:middle line:90% for many years, since the '40s. 00:04:38.640 --> 00:04:43.950 align:middle line:84% And it reflected that time in England too, 00:04:43.950 --> 00:04:49.110 align:middle line:84% because the British empire was in war somewhere 00:04:49.110 --> 00:04:50.910 align:middle line:90% all the time, just about. 00:04:50.910 --> 00:04:56.700 align:middle line:84% So I think it's a poem about war and about how the older 00:04:56.700 --> 00:05:00.840 align:middle line:84% men take advantage of the younger men and women 00:05:00.840 --> 00:05:03.290 align:middle line:90% and send them into war.