Dave, at A Sound Day, posted a Redbone Halloween song and talked about “The Witch Queen of New Orleans” a real person. That reminded me of a poem I wrote about her awhile back.
OK, this one needs a WARNING. Adults only and not for the faint of heart.
“Tis I, Marie, you come to see
You there so prim on marble bench
What brings you here week after week
I’m now a charred and crumbling wretch
You heard the tales and need advice
In one of many hundred ways
I’ve seen your kind, oh once or twice
A mouse without, but heart ablaze
What spells I cast to make them beg
What teas they drank, their tongues turned black
Complexion clear to mottled egg
From man to toad, sweet jumping Jack
You bring to me black rose’ first bud
That blooms in yonder mistress’ crypt
You’ll let its thorns spill midnight’s blood
To drip down where dust’s lips may sip.”
She brought the bud and spilled her blood
Unholy screeches filled the air
Ravenous flames held tight, she stood
Her face to face with devil’s heir
“They tried to send me back to hell
With fire, prayer, and amulets
I struck a deal with God, oh yes!
To stay and net you devilettes.
Come now my love, it’s time to go
A special place awaits you there
You’ll burn and twist back to and fro
While pitchforks poke you ev’rywhere.”
Tao Talk 
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Excellent take on the prompt!
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Thank you very much, Ken. This one wrote itself, which scares me a little.
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Ha!
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well this was a hell fire poem for sure with some fabulously vibrant lines
“I’ve seen your kind, oh once or twice
A mouse without, but heart ablaze”
[err -with reference to the prompt she was famous enough to be painted!]
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Thanks, Laura. Feel free to delete if in violation of the prompt.
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no its far too good for that 🙂
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🙂
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I, too, in search of the perfect headstone, picked one, only to discover the occupant was famous. So I charged ahead regardless. Your poem has epic edges, and lovely dialogue and cadence. I have a fondness for Louisiana lore anyway.
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Thank you, Glenn. I learned of Marie in the country song by Bobby Bare and was intrigued.
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Nice line: “To stay and net you devilettes”. The “net” and “devilette” rhymes well.
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🙂 Thank you, Frank. I like the twisting in this poem.
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ouch a very graphic warning for those not wanting to be toasted or poked … 🙂
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🙂 uh-huh
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Wow! Just wow! I love this. You’ve created so many excellent, vivid lines that I’d be hard-pressed to choose one as a favorite.
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Sascha, my dear, thank you ❤
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🙂
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You were feeling good tonight Lisa!! This is one woman I would not want to know or conjure up!
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Me Neither! It’s one of those things, be careful what you wish for. No thanks!
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:>)
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This is truly wow! And if it write itself…double wow! ❤️
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Thank you, Punam!
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You are welcome.
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You chose the right form for this one, Lisa, it had to be a ballad, and the voice is perfect! Marie was a proper firecracker, so confident she struck a deal with God. My favourite stanza is vivid and deliciously nasty:
‘What spells I cast to make them beg
What teas they drank, their tongues turned black
Complexion clear to mottled egg
From man to toad, sweet jumping jack’.
Your poem reminds me of Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘The Laboratory’.
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So glad you enjoyed the poem. I will look those poems up!
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Kim, I just finished reading both poems. Truly chilling, especially the first one. I can see where you see the similarity.
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The lines that Kim shared above are also the part that most resonated with me. What an imaginative response to this prompt. I am impressed with your creativity.
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Thank you for reading and your kind words, Ali.
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kaykuala
You’ll burn and twist back to and fro
While pitchforks poke you ev’rywhere.”
Beautifully set, Jade! You opened up the caution that many may ignore of the horrors of answering in the afterlife for one’s ‘mistakes’
Hank
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Thank you, Hank. I hate to say it, but I had a lot of fun writing it.
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Wonderful atmosphere! (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe. I did my best.
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I’d never heard of her so enjoyed looking her up. Not exactly someone you’d want for a friend and even less for an enemy.
I think I’d be a little scare the words wrote themselves, too! However it happened – really powerful words.
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Thank you, Debi. When I heard resurrection, all of those Hammer Horror movies came floating back.
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A wonderful poem (song?) that led me down a wonderful internet rabbit hole.
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Alexandra, thank you. I had a lot of fun, sprinkled with devilishness, writing it.
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Stellar… I really loved the way she could use her power… I definitely will be haunted in my dreams after reading this.
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Thank you, Bjorn. The thing to remember is that her devilettes are 100% complicit in what’s happening. Just say no and you’ll be fine.
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It lives up to the warning ! 🙂
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Thank you much, Chris.
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Dark as this tries to be – your glee does come shining through, but you also managed to catch that sadness and anger that arises from being forced to make a living catering to people’s worst natures- it embitters and grieves and exhausts. Policing, prostitution, social work, sorcery, etc. can take a bitter toll on ones’ soul.
I’m glad you wrote about her, she was by all accounts an amazing woman. One of the few from that time whose name survives.
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Christine, your comment is very perceptive. I appreciation your view ❤ She certainly is an enigmatic character.
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I never knew that song was a true story. I have to listen to it now
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