Tom Cunningham Poet Sonnet

Notes About The Poem

The Grist Mill Horror

The grist mill stands by the side of the lake
A bustling flour mill of yesteryear
An eerie place where many people died
If you go inside you will sense the fear.

John Grist the miller was a psychopath
Well known for his outbursts of drunken rage
Those that upset him would incur his wrath
Like William Jones who asked for his wage.

Grist was very drunk and went for his gun
Shot young William until he dropped dead
Then shot the workforce before they could run
The floor of the mill was covered blood red.

Grist mill is haunted, don’t go there at night
The dead still moan and you might die of fright.



Written 25th May 2018

GRISTMILL CONTEST SPONSORED BY CRAIG CORNISH.

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Robert Lindley February 23, 2019 at 9:24 PM Certainly a fine sonnet in my judgement my friend. I love a good dark tale well told. To get this much in a sonnet is a great feat. A fav.... Tom Cunningham February 24, 2019 at 2:24 AM Thank you Robert, my first attempt at writing a dark verse. Tom.

Timothy Mcguire February 14, 2019 at 7:35 PM Great Poem! Angry bosses what can you do! Tom Cunningham February 15, 2019 at 1:53 AM Drunken angry bosses are the worst lol. Tom.

Elaine George June 22, 2018 at 9:20 AM I agree with Susan. Many congrats on your win. Tom. Elaine Tom Cunningham June 22, 2018 at 9:47 AM Thank you very much Elaine. Tom.

Susan Gentry June 22, 2018 at 7:05 AM Back to congratulate you on your win with this clever and creative poem! A fave for me. Well-written and a compelling read. Tom Cunningham June 22, 2018 at 7:24 AM Thank you very much Susan, happy you liked it. Tom

John Gondolf June 19, 2018 at 4:22 AM Congrats on your placement, Tom. Tom Cunningham June 19, 2018 at 6:07 AM Thank you very much John. Tom.

Curtis Moorman June 19, 2018 at 3:50 AM Tom, since you only received an HM, I can see why my poem failed to place although I like to think my entry deserved at least a 3rd place win. Oh well, win some -- lose some. I think your entry should have gotten better than HM. Tom Cunningham June 19, 2018 at 6:12 AM Thank you very much Curtis, Its often been said that if you don't place in a contest renter it in another and hit gold, Personally I think a resident panel of judges would be a better option eg sending entries to a college of literature students for them to judge. It would help them and take away any doubts that poets may have. Tom

Richard Evans June 10, 2018 at 1:38 PM Gripping and an excellent sonnet to boot. Tom Cunningham June 10, 2018 at 2:22 PM Thanks very much Richard, happy you liked it. Tom

Gershon Wolf May 29, 2018 at 7:48 PM Resonates well, Tom. The words come alive when you reveal the identity of the miller--a psychopath! Tom Cunningham May 30, 2018 at 6:50 AM Thanks Gershon, Just getting into sonnets at the moment. Tom

CayCay Godwin May 27, 2018 at 10:42 AM I am so glad I made it here because this is a story completely told in limited but crisp and effective syllables that entertain and, in my case, lift my smile. Great job! I haven't read about this contest yet but I love your interpretation and end result. Good luck in all things ... CayCay Tom Cunningham May 27, 2018 at 1:12 PM Thank you very much CayCay, My first attempt at a dark verse. Tom

Cheryl Hoffman May 27, 2018 at 8:02 AM An awesome terrifying tale you have wrote Tom; I can picture the whole macabre scene at the grisly gristmill! Good luck in the contest!~Che :) Tom Cunningham May 27, 2018 at 9:51 AM Thanks Cheryl, hope it doesn't give you nightmares. Tom.

Winged Warrior May 27, 2018 at 7:16 AM Cool take on the theme Tom...would make a great Halloween movie lol...love and light...^WW^ Tom Cunningham May 27, 2018 at 9:50 AM Haha love it Winged Warrior May 27, 2018 at 8:45 AM (((ring)))(((ring)))(((ring)))...I wouldn't pick up that phone lol...^WW^ Tom Cunningham May 27, 2018 at 7:37 AM Thank you WW, just waiting for the phone to ring lol. Tom

Susan Gentry May 27, 2018 at 1:22 AM Oh my!! ,A sonnet mystery you wrote. Or sonnet thriller better yet!! Well don, Tom. Excellent! Tom Cunningham May 27, 2018 at 7:36 AM Thank you Susan, I was looking at a mill pic and my mind wandered a bit. Tom.

Carolyn Devonshire May 26, 2018 at 4:32 PM Oooh, what a blood-curdling tale you weave, Tom. Love the way your story unfolds. Very creative use of the theme, too! Wishing you success in Craig's contest. Hugs, Carolyn Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 5:07 PM Thank you Carolyn, I thought I'd give horror a go.Maybe not Poe, but he had to start somewhere at the bottom. Tom

Anne-Lise Andresen May 26, 2018 at 3:14 PM - Love to read this one ... with pleasure and horror - Really awesome, Tom - You have posted a winning poem :) - Happy weekend :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 5:04 PM Thank you Sunshine, Just back from a wedding so its been a lovely weekend, I hope you've had one too. Tom

Alexis Y. May 26, 2018 at 8:24 AM Tom, You are good at the "Sonnett" form. This eerie write held my attention from start to finish. I will not be visting that mill by the way. It looks like a winner to me. I wish you the best of luck in the contest- Alexis Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 5:01 PM Thank you very much Alexis, I saw others writing nice things about the mill so I thought I'd go a bit dark. Tom

Maria Williams May 26, 2018 at 8:01 AM Oh my! Don't think I'll be visiting this place anytime soon. I'll settle for just reading your excellent descriptive Sonnet Tom, such imagery, I truly enjoyed this....Maria hugs Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 1:24 PM Thank you very much Marie, just getting in to sonnets, my fourth, learning so much on here. Tom.

Andrea Dietrich May 26, 2018 at 1:15 AM gosh there was such a place? Well described, Tom! Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 1:59 AM Thank you Andrea, not sure where that came from, maybe something I read about . Tom.

Caren Krutsinger May 26, 2018 at 12:37 AM You have painted a ghost story in the way of a poem; nicely done, but I do not want to go anywhere near your grist mill. Tom Cunningham May 26, 2018 at 1:57 AM Thank you very much Caren, only.in daytime lol. Tom.

Nette Onclaud May 25, 2018 at 7:07 PM ohh, tom,.. how vivid is your depiction of the mill; ghasty, powerful!... salute and huggs Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 10:42 PM Thank you very much Nette, glad you enjoyed it. Tom

Constance La France May 25, 2018 at 3:23 PM Tom, oh so creepy. Excellent writing, best of luck in the contest Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 3:43 PM Thank you , thought I'd give it a dark theme for a change. Tom.

Lisa Brown May 25, 2018 at 11:43 AM A very eerie read Tom. Poor old Billy! Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 11:55 AM Thanks Lisa, my first attempt at horror, going to sleep with the light on lol.

Jan Allison May 25, 2018 at 8:26 AM you penned a spooky tale Tom, good luck:-) hugs jan xx Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 11:54 AM Thanks Jan, Craig said to be creative, so I went dark for a change lol.

Kim Rodrigues May 25, 2018 at 6:45 AM Wow! The haunted gristmill! Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 6:50 AM Thanks Kim, needed mill by a lake, pic is in Nth Carolina somewhere. Tom.

Yazmin Malik May 25, 2018 at 6:14 AM Sounds spooky! Spooky sonnet, good luck in the contest Tom :) Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 6:51 AM Thanks very much Yazmin, and it's not even Halloween lol. Tom.

Demetrios Trifiatis May 25, 2018 at 5:50 AM The mill and the miller a horrific story say/ that you narrate to us in such an artistic way! Excellently told my friend. Tom! Tom Cunningham May 25, 2018 at 5:54 AM Thank you Demetrios, Not sure where my muse dug that one up from lol. Tom