Ode to Humpty

Den første rigtige efterårsbog er ankommet og føles velgørende frisk: Per Aage Brandts Sørgelige sekstettter (noget - lokation: Ohio - tyder på, at den faktisk er skrevet for nogle år tilbage) - denne sekstet knopskyder sig i al hast fra hardcore-banan ned til Alice's Klumpe Dumpe:

en hård banan? aldrig set,
måske en ukogt rodfrugt?
nej, hårdkogt, åh et æg, så?
det sidder på plankeværket
og bestemmer det hele, incl.
hvad ordene må betyde i dag

TILLYKKE MED IKKE-FØDSELSDAGEN, ALICE

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, med John Tenniels illustrationer,
udkom i dag for 150 år og 1 dag siden!



(jeg og mange andre husker det altid som om, at de fejrer fejrer alles ikke-fødselsdag ved den gale hattemagers teselskab, men det gør de jo ikke i bogen, det gør de i Disney-filmen - ikke-fødselsdag er i efterfølgeren Thorugh the Looking-Glass fra 1871 et diskussionsemne mellem Alice og Humpty-Dumpty:)

'What a beautiful belt you've got on!' Alice suddenly remarked.
(They had had quite enough of the subject of age, she thought: and if they really were to take turns in choosing subjects, it was her turn now.) 'At least,' she corrected herself on second thoughts, 'a beautiful cravat, I should have said—no, a belt, I mean—I beg your pardon!' she added in dismay, for Humpty Dumpty looked thoroughly offended, and she began to wish she hadn't chosen that subject. 'If I only knew,' she thought to herself, 'which was neck and which was waist!'
Evidently Humpty Dumpty was very angry, though he said nothing for a minute or two. When he DID speak again, it was in a deep growl.
'It is a—MOST—PROVOKING—thing,' he said at last, 'when a person doesn't know a cravat from a belt!'
'I know it's very ignorant of me,' Alice said, in so humble a tone that Humpty Dumpty relented.
'It's a cravat, child, and a beautiful one, as you say. It's a present from the White King and Queen. There now!'
'Is it really?' said Alice, quite pleased to find that she HAD chosen a good subject, after all.
'They gave it me,' Humpty Dumpty continued thoughtfully, as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his hands round it, 'they gave it me—for an un-birthday present.'
'I beg your pardon?' Alice said with a puzzled air.
'I'm not offended,' said Humpty Dumpty.
'I mean, what IS an un-birthday present?'
'A present given when it isn't your birthday, of course.'
Alice considered a little. 'I like birthday presents best,' she said at last.
'You don't know what you're talking about!' cried Humpty Dumpty. 'How many days are there in a year?'
'Three hundred and sixty-five,' said Alice.
'And how many birthdays have you?'
'One.'
'And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five, what remains?'
'Three hundred and sixty-four, of course.'
Humpty Dumpty looked doubtful. 'I'd rather see that done on paper,' he said.
Alice couldn't help smiling as she took out her memorandum-book, and worked the sum for him:

               365
                1
               ____

               364
               ___

Humpty Dumpty took the book, and looked at it carefully. 'That seems to be done right—' he began.
'You're holding it upside down!' Alice interrupted.
'To be sure I was!' Humpty Dumpty said gaily, as she turned it round for him. 'I thought it looked a little queer. As I was saying, that SEEMS to be done right—though I haven't time to look it over thoroughly just now—and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents—'
'Certainly,' said Alice.
'And only ONE for birthday presents, you know. There's glory for you!'