1888 London

1888 London:

i

I was reading Darwin's "Theory of evolution"
the advent of these new gas mantle lanterns
were easy on the eyes for catching up on page turning...

ii

The eerie scream from the back ally ripped through me,
making me unwillingly cringe.
upon reaching my door yet another scream,
a terrifying more subtle attempt...

iii

I saw nothing, heard no more.

iv

Hush now Annie, you must not draw attention,
I will soon be finished here, my seed deep inside you
I pay not, but will remove you from your hideous life
two more cuts and you will bare no offspring,
your uterus displayed for all to see your filthy life
bleed out your sin you dirty whore...

v

My curiosity gets the best of me
it's foggy and rain falls in a drizzle
compelled to walk the square on a predawn Saturday morning
I grab my coat...

vi

Half way down the alley
I see a man, to dark to recognize
scurrying away like a startled dog
top hat pulled low as to cover his face
there in front of me, looks to be what was once a beautiful girl
now reduced to a clump of butchered flesh
more blood than I have ever seen
just then I heard the sounds of the bobbies whistles...

vii

As I hide in the alley blocks away
men running past me, I slither along the wall
as not to step into the gas street lamps eerie light cast
I must be careful, I have a mission to complete
rid the city of these unclean souls
who offer their body to the highest bidder...how dare they.
a surgeon am I, meticulous. percise ...ever so daring...

viii

Returning back home
no longer an excitement to read
but a gruesome picture engraved forever in my mind
I contemplate who....who could perform such an atrocity?
I drift to sleep, blood on my mind.

ix

I awake feeling somber yet exhilarated
I must sharpen my knives
there is yet much work ahead...