The Covetous Carpenter

      PlaysWell presents a series of parallel 
worlds posing abecedarial Jabberwocky 
rejoinders. (Work in progress)

“The time's occur'd," 
a Walrus slurr'd,

"to part from partners old,

to bide, like glue, 
to sidekicks new --

companions manifold.”

“I can’t concur,” 
a Carpenter

objected, less controll’d.

“I’m flummox’d, man,” 
this artisan

bark'd. “Hand, we’ve been, in glove.

But now you scrum 
for some new chum

while dishin' me the shove.

Who's ever heard 
words more absurd...? 
There's none I’m conscious of.”  

A Walrus 
and an Astronaut,

discarding pressure suits,

bid "Hasta..." 
to their module, donning

only paddock boots.

“In nature’s state 
we needn’t wait

to taste forbidden fruits.”

“One question,” 
press'd a Carpenter,

observing their parade.

“Do rocketeers 
and kindred peers

enjoy such promenade...?

Or, if they don’t, 
is it their wont

to only stroll when paid…?”

A Walrus 
and a Basilisk
together swann'd the piers.
"With Bas, why, I've 
felt more alive
than I have felt in years.
We both admire 
("They so-o-o inspire...")
their work -- Nel's...Carroll's...Lear's."

"One caution, sir," 
a Carpenter
intoned. "If you've a mind,
as you advance, 
to take the chance
and read what verse you find,
you take great risks
with basilisks.

Indeed, you might go blind."

A Walrus
and a Concierge...

None of the Below (cont'd): 1/2 an(e) ABC (N thru Z)

     (N)
No nervous strain. No noms d'huitaines.*
No Nick (nor Nora) Charles's wane.
"No, No, Nanette”…? No! Not again! 

     (O)
No Orson "Bane." No odder twain.*
No "Open sesame!" refrain.
No Orient Express (the train).

     * Cf. "Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider..."

     (P)
No pain. No gain. No Pontchartrain.
No Peter Pain. No peneplain.
No “phart.” No “ph**k!” (They’re both profane.) 
     
     (Q)
No Quiche Lorraine. No quadruplane.
No Quackenbush. (That man's insane!)
No quid. No quo. (Cf. Ukraine.)

     (R)
No rain in Spain. No regent’s reign.
No reindeer’s rein. No Claude Rains cane.*
No rani’s raw salát romaine.
     
     * Which he wields as Mr. Dryden 
in the film "Lawrence of Arabia."

     (S) 
No suzerain. No sales campaign.
No Shakespeare's Melancholy Dane.
Nor definitely no Sinn Fein.

     (T)
No tumtum pain. No two cents plain.* 
No tourists trapp'd in Taprobane.
No twice-told tales of Tramontane.

     * During the Great Depression, 
the price of a glass of seltzer water 
at soda fountains.

     (U)
No urethane. No ururbane.
No University, Tulane.
No undercover sting -- cocaine! 

     (V) 
No vortex vein. No Vivian Blaine.
No Value Village voles maintain.
No vex’d Vince Vaughn: “Na twa, na ane!” 

     (W)
No wax. No wane. No Walter Crane.* 
No John ("Duke") Wayne in "Wagon Train."
No warbling whippoorwill’s refrain.

     (X)
No xanthic acid's yellow stain.
No XXX (i.e., "profane").
No 12 xaq = 1 xaqane.* 
   
      * Footnote currently on inter-library loan. 

     (Y)
No Yardbird playin’ “Sweet Lorraine.”
No "You're So Vain" -- verse nor refrain.
No yin. No yang. No “yawp!”s of pain.*

     * Cf. Whitman’s “Song of Myself.”

     (Z)
No “…zizzy, zing, zing, boom, boom, ay”’n’*
No Zane Gray's novel "Betty Zane."
No reachin’ zed with zip delay’n.’ 

      * Cf. “Italian Street Song.”