Countess of Blood

This poem was inspired by the story of Erzsebet Bathory (1560 ~ 1614) ~ also known as the "Blood Countess of Transylvania"

                 

                    Each day she gazed for hours 

                         at herself within the glass.

                              She longed to keep her youthful look 

                                   as years slid slowly past.

                              As Erzsebet agonized about 

                         her youth sliding to age,

                    Her slaves with youth and beauty 

                         filled her with consuming rage.

                              And when the servant girl brushed

                                   Erzsebet's locks with too much strain,

                              Erzsebet struck the girl for having

                         caused her so much pain.

                    A small amount of servant's blood

                         had touched upon her face,

                              and as she wiped away the stain,

                                   years seemed to have erased.

                               Delusions of a younger self

                         she saw within the mirror;

                    a thought had dawned that she would need

                          much more of this elixir!

                              And so beneath the ground within

                                   'Her Lady's Torture Chamber',

                              young virgins tortured and bled out

                         for her narcissistic nature.

                    To take their beauty for her own,

                         she'd bathe within their blood;

                              thereupon a crimson tide

                                   was used to fill her tub.

                              More than six hundred she did kill

                         for youth forevermore;

                    alas, old age and death's embrace

                         still knocked upon her door.

Author's Note

When reading about Erzsebet, I found her quite intriguing and interestingly dark and twisted. I sat one day as these words spilled upon the page. I hope you enjoy. Comments are more than welcome.

Reviews

[E.H. Monroe]

The original dracula..not the Vlad Tepes that gets the attention, but the one stoker INTENDED on being the OG idea of vampirism. Life through the death of the youth.
She was always a favorite of mine and her idea that by bathing in blood to stay youthful was as intriquing as a car wreck.
The call back in the end, the fact that it didnt matter because locked in a f*****g tower still brought old age and death.

Sweet start..and coffee in hand

[writernubbin]

You did a great job telling her story with style! Man oh man...it gave me goose bumps. If I had lived back then it would have been my luck to be one of the servant girls! Eerily beautiful just the same.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Bloody beautiful! lol SORRY, HAD to go there! lol Yup, a chick that goes off on psychopathic rampages, murdering her victims and bathing in their blood...truth sure is stranger than fiction. I mean, she's way cooler than Dracula...no superpowers...just a bloodthirsty woman. Your poem is great! I liked that it even sounded pre-Victorian as I read the verse.

[Brandon Stewart]

I truly like the back story behind this poem being written and it's written so well in context, it's very creepy, very creepy, but good, very good.

*ahem* I'm sorry Ive been away so long

[Creepy Swine Guy]

This is very dark and disturbing work. It's peculiar that I should read this now. I received a gift card from a book store for Christmas and one of the books that I ordered was a coffee table book about serial killers (I know, I know ... twisted) and read about her for the first time last night. Then I come here and read this rather chiling account of her activities.

[OT]

oo very dark and twisted indeed!!! strong imagery here, and you make me want to go look up the story (I think I will) - also nice subtle rhymes going on and love the layout in this one! very crafty!!!

[Michael X]

amazing and absolutely chilling, you have certainly captured my attention
with the flow and feeling and intensity as i am sure you have captured every readers attention with the same powerful intensity that overcomes us when we
read such skillful writing

[David Lewis Paget]

I feel enlightened! I'd never heard of this lady/demoness, a little like a female version of Gilles de Rais. You've done a creditable job here; I enjoyed both subject matter and the metre you used.

[deeps]

Wow I found this dark and creepy really.
Don't get me wrong, I love the write.
It is very well written.

[crow]

dude great poem, this is a part of history that most people dont cover.great read.