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Mad As A Hatter

I pull my hat low upon my brow
My hands trembling, convulsing now
I wipe the drool from off my chin
And try to walk upright again
I stumble, screaming out a horrific sound
I have fallen once more to the ground

I cannot stop the shrieking
How many biscuits are there today?
A COPPER A WATCHMAN!
No, no n-n-n-n-no sir, I-I-I-I
Hattah Hattah Hattah Haigha
STOP IT!

It comes from within yet I know not where
I crawl now with frightful despair
I only wish to return home
Saved from the tempers which are my own
And here they come their coat of white
I have no voice to tell my plight

And yet I laugh and mumble so
Ten o-o-o-o-over six NO!
Where did everybody g-g-go?
Mommy never loved me
I want to lay in a flowerpot
OH! the butcher is raining

Now, amid my padded walls
And curdling screams of darkened halls
And arms tied tight around my side
The laughter I cannot subside
The price you pay, or so it seems
For the finest hat in all Bedleem
©2006-2010 ~bigjojo49
:iconbigjojo49:

Author's Comments

This piece was inspired by my Haloween Costume This year
A little backround information on this piece, if you dont understand most of what's going on in this piece, you might want to search Mad As A Hatter and Bedlem (Or Bethlehem Royal Hospital) This poem is set in 1814, the last year Bedlem resided in the buildings in Moorfields. I chose this time because it was near the end of the "show of Bethlehem" which I wanted to have as a visual and moving image in this poem. Once again if you don't know anything about the origins of the phrase mad as a hatter or the history of Bedlem hospital I seriously urge you to look it up, I think you will find it very interesting. (On a side note, for anyone who really really knows their history, they might notice that while the poem is set in 1814, the phrase "Mad as a hatter" is not used in common use in England until around 1837, nevertheless, it was a phrase in its infancy in 1814 making the plight of this man all the more seclusionary) This is a character who I will be doing other poems on. Ive decided to name him Richard Aarman. Oh and btw, for anyone who has a love of literature, they might notice some references to other works within the poem. Leave me a comment, I would love to know what peoplet think of this.

Comments


love 2 2 joy 2 2 wow 0 0 mad 0 0 sad 0 0 fear 0 0 neutral 0 0
:iconiamtotallybombyo:
This poem is amazing! Really good work.

--
I'm a little tea pot, short and- . . . What? Song makes no sense. To be clear, I am not a ceramic (or metal) bowl with a spout.
:iconinfinityontherun:
Love this piece! Especially the last 2 stanzas!

--

and her laugh always sounds like the clatter of shaken dice,
of the rotation of roulettes and a life on the line.
:icondamien-wolf:
By the Red Queens head this is beautiful! I've read it and saw a movie in my head, every word translated into an image. Very good! It really touches me and my soul.

"Please stay mad, and keep up the good work"

Respect

--
Voices and Nightmares
:iconcarousel-dreams:
i love the mad hatter and this does him justice :)

--
so pregnant with meaning i am lactating not really
:iconemmisu:
This is amazing and inspiring x3
:iconkfcpops8:
they need to make a picture to go with that one it was sweeeeet
:iconfangirl-of-ace:
The 'Ten Over Six' line reminds me of The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. He had a note stuck into the brim of his top hat that red '10/6', didn't he?

--
"Oh, sorry, I can't talk to you any longer. I have to go before I start swelling up. Y'see, I'm allergic to complete fail." - Anna Carlsson

I approve of this.
:iconsammybunny3:
LOVE THE POEM!its so amazing!i love it!i understand the story and i see what u meen.beldeem was quite the nightmare of a place as well so i love how u captured the story so well!
:iconmalacup14:
wow i love this poem,nicely done!!!

--
~love always~
~malacup14~

Details

October 26, 2006
1.2 KB

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