‘Twas brillig, and the Idd had a-fry,
All mimsy the Ego, and the Superego sighed;
For the Obsess-Wock with its thought-teeth drew nigh,
And the Compuls-Grips in the mind did abide.
“Beware the Obsess-Wock, my son! The jaws that bite, the thoughts that clutch!
Beware the Grum-Grum bird, and shun the Glove-and-Germ band much!”
He took his Thought-Sword to the questing fray,
Long time the Manic-Beast he sought—
Then rested he by the Rumin-Tree for a day,
And deep in Cogni-Fact he thought.
And, as in Phobia-Thought he stood,
The Obsess-Wock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the Burden-Wood,
And burrbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The Thought-Sword went Snick-Snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Obsess-Wock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O Frabjous Day! Calloo! Callay!” He chortled in his joy.1
‘Twas brillig, and the Idd had a-fry,
All mimsy the Ego, and the Superego sighed;
But the Obsess-Wock no longer did draw nigh,
And the Compuls-Grips no more did abide.
Glossary (For the Uninitiated Mind-Traveler)
- Idd, Ego, Superego: The core psychic structures (Freudian-Slang for the mind’s machinery).
- Obsess-Wock: The central figure; the Obsession, a terrifying and intrusive thought-beast. Its “thought-teeth” are the relentless, gnawing doubts.
- Compuls-Grips: The compulsive actions, the rituals that attempt to hold back the Obsess-Wock.
- Grum-Grum bird: A metaphor for pervasive anxiety or chronic worry.
- Glove-and-Germ band: Represents the specific fear (or obsession) of contamination, leading to washing compulsions.
- Thought-Sword: The tool of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Rational Analysis—used to fight illogical thoughts.
- Manic-Beast: The hypo-manic or hyper-manic state sometimes accompanying intense mental struggle.
- Rumin-Tree: The spot where Rumination takes place—repetitive, cyclical thinking.
- Cogni-Fact: Clear, rational, factual thought (the opposite of the Obsess-Wock’s burrbling nonsense).
- Phobia-Thought: A moment of intense, specific fear.
- Burden-Wood: The deep, confusing place where one carries the weight of their condition.
- Snick-Snack: The decisive moment of confronting the thought and breaking the cycle.
- Galumphing: The triumphant (if slightly awkward) return after successful therapy or insight.
- Frabjous Day: A day of joy and relief; recovery.