Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

"Jabberwocky," as performed by the Muppets! We have a bin of pop-up books that we let the kids play with while they're in the library, and yesterday as I was passing I noticed a new one, Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwock," (which for those of you who don't know, is a bit of verse taken from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There) . Anyone, as it's a rainy and dark day it feels right to share this weird and kinda creepy poem. I also happened upon the Muppet version...those Muppets, what don't they do?! "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 thou...

There is something so perfect about swimming in the rain. Surrounded by the orchestra, a million little drum beats; the band warms up, starts slowly until one by one it's uniform sound. The sound grows, intensifies. You lean back into the music, float on your back, lean into the beat, get as close to the sound as you can without the water swallowing you up. You realize you are in the band too; you unwittingly add to the cacophony, the rain slapping your skin, insistently tapping your head. While the music continues you explore. You realize the shifting, tangible veil. Swimming in the rain means each stroke pushes you through another layer in a water blind; you are in a room whose walls you'll never find. You learn the vastness of the sky that mirrors your lake. You learn the solitary tread of staying alive, staying afloat--movement.  Your body relaxes and remembers itself. You spread and contract and feel vast in this water. You learn the smallness of yourself in the world. ...