THE FORBIDDEN ALLEY OF McGILL

a murder mystery poem

The Forbidden Alley of McGill

Scene One:  11.35 pm One Night 

 

“Spectators and Thespians, cometh hither,
be bold enlighten your merry souls, or else
……….. Avoid if you will, Avoid walking
near The Forbidden Alley of McGill , a
sordid, dark  folly of villainous, destitution.
Just there on your left, you see, located
behind the pomp and perfunctory
of this most revered Theatrical Institution.
I most ardently suggest, that you protect your
tender hearts and precious minds from such perpetually
gruelling despair. And for those of you with fragile
consciences,  you ought  cautiously, to safeguard 
your sacred souls from  any such  odious, fatal, frights…..
….which indeed might viciously be caused,
by disturbed and  dangerously debauched
loitering creatures of the night”. 

 

Bellowed, Maurice Mercer the exasperatedly
drunk, retired actor, while taking a conscientiously,
restrained, near last swig of his liquor.

 

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Scene Two: Day light, 6 Months Later

 
Lola Sniff, takes a scrunched glimpse of the
visceral clouds as rain splatters on the dreary
concrete ground. Drenched discards of

makeshift bedding of card and news-papier-mâché,
strewn on the  pavement  following,  a
midnight raid of a roisters’ soiree.
Here seethes the stench of the desolate Alley:
rot, crack,lager, blood, gutter, heroin, vomit, and urine
reek among the debris of  pure unadulterated ruin;
needles, garbage, corpses and excrement of vermin.  

 

Removing her mask and gloves, Sniff, 
Inspector in Chief for the Metropolitan Police,  

gut wrenched and heaving,  sends a priority
message to her new team:

“….residue of violence, mysterious
slum dweller alternations,
the scene is almost  as horrific as the clean
up, after the  unsolved  brutal murder of old
Maurice Mercer, who only a week prior
was laid up with bronco pneumonia. 

Inspite of which, being a notorious voyeur 

he escaped from his care home,

and was last seen, barely sober,

threatening visitors to leave town,

unless, they paid him an astonimical amount 

for his late wife's sable coat and vintage gown, 

which after his fatal killing,....were never to be found."

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July 2012 sh

Author's Note

thankful for the editorial advice of fellow poet, Lee von cleef

Reviews

[Dr. Wood ?]

you see, I cannot see why this is not prose...Maybe I am blind to it. I have reviewed a few on this site, poems that were beyond me and I have recieved some pretty scathing remarks back...So I will pass on this, other than to say it is a remarkable piece of writing..you have a fathomless depth of talent but I still look upon this as prose...Sorry

[SHEEMA HUQ]

ok quite right , thanks, i shall change the description to prose, please don't apologise, a few challenging statements from you might only do me good every now and again...much oblidged.

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Poetry at times goes right over my head. This piece buzzed over as well, but some settled in. I see it - illustrated beautiful. More - I smell it. Ick! I keep reading, trying reading, knowing that one day, the light will go on. Mean time, I am blessed to have a group of exceptional writers from whose works to learn. May not get the entirety of this piece, but I can discern good. Exceptional!! Thanks for the RR.

[demureminds]

I read this as if I was watching a scene from a horror movie and the narrator in talks with this low dramatic voice haha. Also the beginning reads like a warning sign before you enter some dark, haunting place. Well penned.

[SHEEMA HUQ]

he he, I've practiced my drucken swagger to recite this one...thanks so much!

[Owlgirl]

Wow, this is very interesting. I like your unique style and punctuation. Great job. This is very well done, and it leaves so many questions!
I wonder what this would be like as a short story?

[lee von cleef]

Don't need "lie" before strewn , ? "after a heaving gut wrench"? Hey it is early, but I think it reads better now. You have now successfully changed the flavor of my coffee.

[lee von cleef]

Just one reading (mind you) act one feels natural ,Act two feels forced ,act two pushes more information out maybe then it needs to. Leave a little for me to ponder on.

[SHEEMA HUQ]

Hi Lee, I've slightly amended, please have a another read and comment when possible.

[lee von cleef]

sure, Trade, try Lane Frost,another not entered contest poem

[SHEEMA HUQ]

Dear Lee, your comments have been invaluble, constucive, honest and essential. greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Sheema