“The Dong with a Luminous Nose” is the most famous nonsense verse poem by Edward Lear (1812-88). Lear was one of the most renowned Victorian poets and artists, famous for popularizing sonnets among Victorian readers. Lear worked closely with the chief supporters of nonsense verse poems like Lewis Carroll. "The Dong with a Luminous Nose" is a poignant love rhyme about an inexplicable figure – the imaginary Dong –that fall in love with Jumbly (a girl from a foreign land and a member of the Jumbilies.)
Thematically, the poem explores the topic of love. The poem opens with the Jumbilies arriving at Dong's home from a foreign land. The mode of marine transport used by the Jumbilies is a sieve. The poet describes the Jumbilies as having blue legs and green heads. In particular, a girl called Jumbly is gorgeous and her figure is striking. When Dong sees Jumbly, he falls in love with her and looks forward to marrying her. Jumbly dances to Dong's music, and she teaches him how to do salsa. Dong's day is filled with excitement and he looks forward to similar days ahead. Unfortunately, in the evening, Jumbly leaves with her fellow Jumbilies for their foreign land. Dong feels frustrated and stands at the shore, his eyes fixed on the horizon, hoping she will return.
Towards the end, the poet says Dong constructs his legendary luminous nose to symbolize his loss. Dong vows to use the luminous nose for the rest of his life, searching for Jumbly. Unlike Lear's poem "Owl and the Pussycat," this poem has a grief-stricken and captivating incredible landscape.
