There was once a young man of Oporta,
Who daily got shorter and shorter,
The reason he said
Was the hod on his head,
Which was filled with the heaviest mortar.
His sister, named Lucy O'Finner,
Grew constantly thinner and thinner;
The reason was plain,
She slept out in the rain,
And was never allowed any dinner.
I am busy working to bring Lewis Carroll's "There was once a young man of Oporta" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about Lewis Carroll's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "There was once a young man of Oporta" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.