Monday 22 October 2012

The 'Literary Sphinx' and his Intertextuality.

Darling Milly,

Quite a title eh? 
Actually it's what my lovely friend Professor Bob has explained that GiGi's research is along the lines of. 
However Em's, I think that for now a bit of Doggerel may set the scene for us best..



          The Freshwater Circle, and what Dodgson found there...


There was a Mathematician called Dodgson,
Who desired to hobnob with Tennyson.
His Oxford peers he surmised,
Cut him down to size,
So he picked up a camera and shot 'em.


" I'll use Southey as my friend
 As a means to my end,
And practise the Art of Photography.
'Twil introduce me to society 
That hitherto sh-sh-shunned me,
And allow me my entree to rend! 

The young Agnes Weld
( Tennyson's niece I beheld )
I'll shoot the young relation of Horncastle.
The result of my whim,
Will sure me a way in,
To greet the Tennysons up at the Marshalls.

Emily my dear, please draw your boys near,
Place them here right in f-f-front of my lens.
A photograph you will see,
PIN-SHARP by degree,
And for this you will appreciate ME!"

Alas, they did not,
Emily thought the portrait was rot,
And wrote straight to Dodgson to burn them.
Dodgsons fire was insensced,
He deemed recompense,
To those who he thought 'High and Mighty.'

A phrenologial storm,
Now darkened Dodgson's self-esteemm-m-m-i-i-i-i-a-a-a
To-whit;  a new name must be worn;
One much more akin to 'Bohemia!'

"Lewis Carroll is here,
( Quite the Climber my dear )
...I must say I don't understand him.
He reminds me somewhat
Of that 'Dodgson' Queer-bot
Pray why is he hanging about?"

" Alice my dear;
While we punt, draw you near,
I have a secret to tell you.
I'll muse you for some stories,
That'll give me SUCH glory,
And earn me a place as a s-s-se'er."

To Freshwater went the Chameleon,
It's 'Artistic Circle', his prey.
Why with his eyes, his brain and his lens,
He'll surely be quite the Bohemian?

" Oh, there's Mr Lear..
( Why does he look at me so queer? )
As though his piggy eyes see right through me?

Even Alfred looks aloft,
Towards his Down, and his Flowers...
Though I came and played soft,
And showed him my photographs- For hours and hours and hours!

Julia Margaret Cameron,
That fuzzy-photograph creating wretch,
Trails shawls, sleepy husband,
And orders maids and maidens to fetch.

"PIN-SHARP IT SHOULD BE!!!
    I told her, one, two, three,                                        
But no matter to her,
Half-blind as she scurries and she whirrs.

I'll show this lofty lot,
Just who should be TOP
Lewis Carroll knows BEST
He will lampoon the REST."

Said Alice of Jabberwocky
"It sounds like something I know"
That is because it is, my dearest little one..
Fools cannot see where I cleave my blows.

The Cast-through my 'Looking Glass',
Satirised for posterity;
My revenge suitably sweet,
Against those who ignored my s-s-superiority. "


For Emily,
by your ever-loving
 GiGi xxx

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