Autumn’s air is chilled.
Bustlin’ voices natter street.
A customer sits.
Fall clothing adorned;
Fella seems ter be wealthy.
It drizzles dahn the street.
Leant ‘im all comfy,
Foam applied to a strong face,
Warm in fall’s crisp air.
‘E likes a close shave,
Makes ‘im feel alive, ‘e says.
Tallow soap—mint oil.
‘E smiles and ‘e shuts his eyes.
The latch clicks—the drop sudden.
Clunked ‘im, did I, right proper on ‘is ‘ead—
Quite a wallop, ‘e’s a stunned sad young bloke—
Dahn stairs the ol’ crone will make sure ‘e’s dead.
Quite a wallop, ‘e’s a stunned sad young bloke—
‘Is lady—that’s me—slices throats like bread—
Clunked ‘im, did I, right proper on ‘is ‘ead.
‘Is lady—that’s me—slices throats like bread;
Not to be tossed, but something else instead—
Quite a wallop, ‘e’s a stunned sad young bloke.
Not to be tossed, but something else instead—
Pies need lots o’ meat if they’re fillin’.
‘Is lady—that’s me—slices throats like bread.
Pies need lots o’ meat if they’re fillin’—
Lovett’s got the best meat pies in London.
Not to be tossed, but something else instead—
Lovett’s got the best meat pies in London—
Clunked ‘im, did I, right proper on ‘is ‘ead—
Quite a wallop, ‘e’s a stunned sad young bloke—
‘Is lady—that’s me—slices throats like bread.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
Originally posted on tristanrobertlange.com, September 15, 2025.
Tittu
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Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: September 15th, 2025 08:57
- Comment from author about the poem: For Macabre Monday. This is the first part in my series, Devilishly Dreadful, and the third poem I’ve written in my original form, the Chameleon Cantos. Drawing from the infamous penny dreadful The String of Pearls (1846), this piece revives Sweeney Todd’s grisly world where barbershops and bakehouses became stages for horror. Todd’s first victims were dispatched through a trapdoor—an image that’s haunted Gothic imagination ever since. Here, the dreadful’s grotesque humor and terror meet the cadence of my form.
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- Views: 13
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett, Vogelfrei, Salvia.S
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Comments6
Why o why did it bring to mind the sudden slash of the blade in the IT sector throughout the world. Perhaps the modern version of the killer barber is the AI. Or it is the people designing the bloodshed? Who knows?
This is a fascinating read, my friend…the barber’s blade turned into modern cuts, AI as both barber and butcher, and the unseen hands behind it all. Your reflection carries its own dreadful weight. 🪓💈🥧🙏 Thanks for your time and thoughts.
This one brought to mind the Jack the Ripper murders in Spitalfields and White Chapel in London The vernacular aids in the recounting of murder setting the scene and the cutting of throats is poignant in view of the last murder on a train in North Carolina where a girl's throat was cut from behind. Dark and the cadence of repeated lines aided in the sense of madness. Lovely and a fave
Soren, you’ve tied it together powerfully…from Whitechapel to North Carolina, the shadows linger across time. That madness in the cadence is exactly what I hoped would pulse through. Grateful for your time, my friend. 🪓💈🥧🙏
My pleasure my time is yours
Deliciously dark, you got to love the spirits, a most wonderful London town atmosphere if I may indeed say so. I'll take my hat off to you. 🌹
Teddy, that means a lot coming from a Londoner…to know the atmosphere felt true to your home city makes me proud to have written it. Grateful for your words and support, my friend. 🪓💈🥧🙏
Wotcher Tristan. I was born not far away - a hop step and a jump from the location of the happenings you recount,...and just a teensy bit later too...
Loved the script - the vocals? I fink you are a bloody foreigner from Portsmouth or Dorset or somewhere close😉... or perhaps I'm going a bit deaf...
It's a full on creepy one this and I look forward to the rest of the series. (With respect to them meat pies.. glad I'm vegetarian...)
Dave, I love that you were born right near the setting…that makes your read all the more special. And haha—yes, a bloody foreigner from Jersey! 🤣 Happy to have landed anywhere close! 😅 Glad the creep-factor carried through, my friend. 🪓💈🥧🙏 As for the meat pies, right there with you.
No doubt about you, Tristan - You are a jolly good sport , old chap.
(See wot upward social mobility does fer yer....)
Cheers, Dave! Jolly good sport, eh? Don’t you worry...like you, this ol’ chap only sharpens his blade on carrots these days. 🥕😏🤣
That got progressively harder for me to read...but I like a challenge! Understanding the context is definitely key, and I love your creativity!
Beautifully said, 🥷. Context does make it click, and I’m glad the creativity still came through despite you finding it a challenge. Thank you for that, dear friend. 🪓💈🥧🙏
Wonderful! This flowed so well, I could here the voice in my head. A great write.
Tom, I appreciate your words…to hear the flow and voice so clearly is the best response I could hope for. Thank you again and I am glad you enjoyed! 🪓💈🥧🙏
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