"The Dong with a Luminous Nose" is a poem, which was first published in 1877 as a part of Victorian poet Edward Lear's collection titled Laughable Lyrics. Lear is best known for his nonsensical works of literature, but particularly his poems. "The Dong with a Luminous Noise" tells the story of a creature called the Dong, who sets out on a quest to find an object which he desires more than anything in the world: a "Jumbly Girl" who lives on a far-off island.
"The Dong with a Luminous Nose" received mixed reactions when it was first published. On one hand, critics loved the poem because they felt that Lear's nonsensical style was refreshing and innovative. On the other hand, other critics who didn't like the poem didn't care for the poem because they viewed it as trivial and lacking in substance. Some critics felt that Lear's nonsensical approach was too simplistic to be serious. Still, "The Dong with a Luminous Nose" is regarded as one of Lear's most important and one of his most popular poems.
