Psychopath

He walks among us.

As a child, he had

too many hits

on the head

with a snake,

so he tortured toys

because he'd pulled

the legs off all

the spiders

in the neighbourhood.

 

He learned to ejaculate

backwards

simply to spite himself,

and stood on the edge

of town,

a razor's keenness

stroked across

the once virgin skin

of his stubbled face,

until blood read

poetry spilt

from purple lips.

 

He'd never fill that face

with gas,

more Ted Hughes

than Sylvia Plath,

his hardened edges

ground in powdered

glass as he swallowed

pride like an aspirin

pain.

 

No need for statements

from tattoos on skin,

no intention to ink himself

with anything more than

the blackest of Satan's sins.

 

He fell from the grace

of all the gods on earth,

and chalked the school walls

with spray painted expletives,

and the prison walls

with his own excrement.

 

But he doesn't look

in the mirror,

for it has nothing

to say to him,

and he doesn't

look away from the

downcast eyes

that cannot

meet his stare,

for his heart

is an empty.

hollow chamber,

and his soul is

nothing but ash.

 

01/09/19

 

Author's Note

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

I thought this was a very high level write
The write itself is excellent and additionally it highlights concerns of just how low a human can sink.(I think)
Thank God(?) there is more than a balance out there
Do you have nightmares?

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I rarely have nightmares Dave and am not afraid of death as I have no belief in any gods and see life for what it is. Many thanks.

[Kay Salisu Titilola]

Drawing a picture with words that fully describe its purpose, though like a parable hidden behind written words.

So much fun caught and more thoughts reflected.

Good job, John.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Kay, glad it made you think.

[Kay Salisu Titilola]

My pleasure...

[barleygirl]

Best part of your depiction -- you stay as far away as possible from stereotypes, delivering a few face-slaps along the way with your unexpected details. "more Ted Hughes than Sylvia Plath" -- clever! along with "gas" comment! Your tattoo discourse twists expectations, which I love. Instead of making me want to steer clear of this guy, there's a creepy between-the-lines allure going on here! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Glad you enjoyed it Margie, many thanks for taking the time.

[gram linski]

Loved this dude, you been watching me ? down the roof, not up the drainpipe, that's the best way, allegedly,

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yup I have had a webcam implanted in yer eyeballs fella. Cheers and keep on keepin' on looking in that mirror!

[alanwgraham]

Thanks John for this superb portrayal of the dark side. Your poem is quite chilling and I think it's quite accurate. Not recommended as a bedtime read!
By the way - how do you know all this?
Cheers
Alan

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Glad it came over as chilling Alan. Not sure I know a damned thing though I did spend my career as a mental health professional. Many thanks for visiting.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Powerful frightening honest great poem

[...Relic...]

One of your best, John. Hard-hitting and compelling.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Relic for such a lovely comment.

[Ted Kniffen]

I think I know this man, or I've heard of him. He walks city streets searching for his next victim...not to kill...but to torture because that's more fun. A heartless b*****d who does not want external markings to distinguish himself from the crowd.
His best work comes when he moves about incognito. There is nothing of the soft and fuzzy about him.
He's a soulless prick out to do his worst.
There are many like this...they smile as they slip a blade between the ribs and give it a twist.

A good write, John.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I think you have met him Ted. Many thanks.

[Robert Trakofler]

Damn the wretched walk among us all right...many of them slip by unnoticed the supremely entitled and the psychopath are my two greatest dislikes I don’t suffer them much one I cannot delve to empathy and the other has non if ever there was an anti bunny they would be it:( I’m only half joking when I say I can kill a rapist child molester or killer with a toothpick that’s why I could never be a cop and I say that to my police friends! Poignant painting you made here sorry if I got my ire up:/

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Not at all you are right to feel so passionate about such injustices. Many thanks Robert.

[DAH]

This is loaded with a frightening truth, a truth that represents
most of what is wrong in our world by narrowing down on one psychopath.

An excellent write, John, and it seriously needed to be addressed.

Cheers,
DAH

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much DAH. Had you spotted the two Disney references?

[DAH]

No, I didn't, but I have now. Excellent!