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Mathew Horton Poem
From ‘The Woe of Roanoke ‘
It wasn’t just the gale that chilled his skin
As he mulled on the cannibal captured within.
In trembling state he clenched close his cane
To rap tap the gate of the jail in the rain.
Four jailer badge enter, unbolted the door
Jabbed, jolted the ragged convict in the floor.
He shook himself down to render some warm
Then span in alarm as he seized his arm
“Close to me, notary! Sit near- if you dare!
Sunrise I’ll swing from my tree of the hair.
Wring your wet cloak and I’ll narrate
The tale of the thousand folk that we ate!”
Put quill to ink and I will tell
Of those that are now burning in hell.
I’ll tell of my past-that place I abhor
And them that scared Ayrshire for years five and score.
They say I’m a witch! Which I say to them nay!
I’m a Christian now. I know how to pray
I’m repented of sin, lamented the crime
And my slate to lathe, this last night I’m confined.
But your words just might let my boys unmolested
For I am the last of the Beans arrested...
“He’s your boy”
“It’s a brute!”
“He’s a Bean!”
“It’s a mute!”
“Och hold your son father, for he is no freak”
“That it is blinkered wife. It’s got whiskers and teeth!”
“He’s smiling!”
“That’s scowling! And why’s it not howling?
I swear it by god it’s laying there growling
And hold it I’ll not!
In its pit eyes I’ve seen that predators stare
I swear it’s no Bean! But a wolf!
Clothed in a babes pink skin!
Imps have taken my innocent kin
And swapped it with this...
A goblin twin!”
“He tore at the breast, saw jest in the wail
And so was suckled straight from a pail.
He came into the world callous and brawny
Alexander she named him
They nicknamed him Sawney”
“He was kept in a pen most days and all night
For ‘fire he could walk he would crawl for a fight
He bit all his brothers and strangled his pets
And fought with his parents and dismissed their threats”
“At night with the family all fearful in bed
He’d smash up the room as he filled them with dread
He’d bark and growl and howl at the moon
And chillingly bout with himself in the gloom”
“His Pa was crofting away in Killwinning
Aged 7 and Sawney wet his taste with a killing
He was grabbed in the fields by the twins McTavish
Who trussed him in twine to beat him most savage
“You ugly Ned. Trespass, you dare!
We’ll bat your head and burn your hair
Well break both your arms, ten fingers and then
We’ll beat you up for burning our den”
“The teens took turns to seat him with brands
From the fire his lit in McTavishes lands
He gnawed ....
Copyright © Mathew Horton | Year Posted 2019
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