Lewis Carroll sent this poem to Mabel and Emily Kerr
on May 20, 1871.
He titled it “A Double Acrostic” — but where is the acrostic?

Thanks, thanks, fair Cousins, for your gift
So swiftly borne to Albion’s isle —
Though angry waves their crests uplift
Between our shores, for many a league!

“So far, so good,” you say: “but how Your Cousins?”
Let me tell you, Madam.
We’re both descended, you’ll allow,
From one great-great-great-grandsire, Noah.

Your picture shall adorn the book
That’s bound, so neatly and moroccoly,
With that bright green which every cook
Delights to see in beds of cauliflower.

The carte is very good, but pray
Send me the larger one as well!
“A cool request!” I hear you say.
“Give him an inch, he takes an acre!

“But we’ll be generous because
We well remember, in the story,
How good and gentle Alice was,
The day she argued with the Parrot!”

Last word in each stanza should be replaced by a matching rhyme   e.g. league==> mile.

Posted by Ady TZIDON on 2017-06-06 18:48:11