The tale of Moll Dyer

Based on the urban legend of a woman accused of witchcraft and died alone frozen upon a rock.

The Tale of Moll Dyer 

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

"I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it." -Maya Angelou

Can you hear the Ravens caw 

upon the desolate stone

A mournful cry that can't deny

Ghostly spirit all alone 

The autumn leaves that fall from breeze, 

drifting slowly down below

In a canopy of eldritch trees

Where grass will never grow 

What brought her here in wretched fear

Is a mystery of unknown act.

Deceptive lies of puritan faith

Which distorted truths from fact.

Forsaken land in rotted earth

Mimics those that lived therein

For fears of superstitious rites

revealed judgemental sin

They took to foot to burn the witch

They felt had lived in midst 

Put flame upon her small abode

As she fled into the mist.

In blinding rage they howled to moon

As they condemned their souls to hell

No men of God should ever offend 

With evil hearts so fell.

what becomes of us in mortal lust

When paradise is lost

To commit the worst of wicked vice

And pay the highest cost

And so in winter's night she wept 

Flung herself upon frozen stone

In the cold of night and end of plight 

She died there all alone 

Take heed in words which speak of her

Let us vow to always see

That even in poorest and least of us

Resides humanity 

Author's Note

A folklore tale about the woman who would inspire the movie The Blair Witch. The truth if believed is worse than the legend for it reflects badly upon us as a species.

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

Exceptionally fine piece of writing
I recently read a book written by a native Indian about their endless number of gods and beliefs
This reminds me much of it
I notice that A&W, after trying to promote vegan (?) burgers has stopped advertising them, a possible indication that we are not yet ready to stop consuming our four legged friends
Should have saved this for Halloween or can we expect even more spine chilling presentations

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I so thought about saving it for October but wasn't sure if it would resonate with anyone because of particular aspects of the poem. That being the indictment of religious hateful fervor in the piece. Speaking of burgers I just have to say that Burger King makes an exceptional vegan burger that I really like. For me personally it passes the taste test and I feel much less guilty after eating one. Thank you again my friend for leaving your thoughts on this piece. As an admirer of your art I truly appreciate it.

[John Prophet]

“Deceptive lies of puritan faith”
Absolutely wonderful write.
Mans inhumanity to man….

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you John for your comment. I admit it's a bit of an indictment on faith which can leave people astray in false beliefs and persecution of others who are innocent and unable to defend themselves from a hateful frenzied delusional crowd. Though I loathe to generalize all people of faith history had dictated quite a bit of hateful art perpetrated by thise in the name of their diety. Mans inhumanity toward man knows no bounds nor reason, yet much can be traced back to a root cause of faith. It's simply fact unfortunately. Thank you again my friend.

[Lorry]

Burn the witch! Used to be enough to prove guilt, but as you point out, most grew from myth and became stories to scare kids and shut them up for a minute or two.
We grew up with Maggie Murphy'll get you... A witch like harridan who had metal teeth and lived in a graveyard. (like all us six year old were rocking through the cemetery of a night)
We knew they were lying, kind of, but we just chose to behave for a while, do what we were told, shut the hell up and freak out anytime we were near the ghostie (cemetery)
Parents always took it too far though and added hellish stories to make us weesht! (shut up) I remember my mum telling us to hold our breath going under tunnels or it would fall down. Years later, I still nearly pass out trying to hold my breath whilst driving through the Clyde tunnel 😊
But like I said, never believe this rubbish... Touch wood, fingers, knees and toes crossed 😊

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Lorry for your thoughts on this poem. Bloody Mary was a big thing growing up as a child. Still remember kids in the bathroom saying f you are ever alone and are standing before a mirror say her name 5 time if you are brave. Than one time in 7th grade some poor girl had an epileptic seizure in class and kids started passing around rumors she had done the Bloody Mary thing and got possessed by its spirit. Cruel little monsters we were. For the longest time as a little boy I wouldn't go into a public restroom alone because of that incident. Even now I'm afraid of the new urban legend called the toilet shark. Hey, they are real and everyone should be afraid of them especially guys popping a squat not expecting sudden castration from these evil mini great whites that swim through the sewage pipes hungry for male testicles. Oh I shudder to think.

[Pauline]

Hi Carlos.
Firstly, this piece has good rythm and flow which can make a poem more easy to read for some.
Secondly, the stories of our pasts are brutal, cruel and yes, I sometimes think that we were worse than beasts. Witchcraft, slavery etc. Just what are we humans capable of.
After reading John's review, I think I'd better have my last hamburger today.
Thanks for sharing.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Pauline for your thoughts on this poem. I know that in some countries the cows are seen as sacred animals but damn do they taste good. If I had a choice between eating a cow or human being sorry my bovine friend but the heart wants what the heart wants. And so does the tummy. Now it doesn't lessen the cruelty towards the animal species which in many ways we are part of but cannibalism is a whole different evilness all together. I respect John's point though. Perhaps we will eventually evolve to the point where the consumption of meat is no longer necessary. To imagine we murdered people for pagan beliefs or the assumption of it really is reprehensible. As you point out rightly so in our history we have done deplorable vile things to one another. It is my sincere hope that the fable of Moll Dyer is nothing more then that and not based on fact. To die alone frozen to a rock looking upwards toward the heavens is absolutely heartbreaking. I would never wish that on anyone. The greater part of our humanity is lost when that becomes acceptable in our society. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me I truly appreciate it.

[John the Baptist]

People of earlier eras took religion literally to help them deal with a life that was very uncertain. Thus things like witchcraft, which we don't take seriously today, were life and death matters to them. This is not to justify witch trials, which had ghastly results, only to explain how they came to be. Possibly a century hence, if veganism becomes mainline, our descendants will regard us as monsters for all the hamburgers we consumed.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Very true many behaviors today which we consider normal and acceptable could have been seen as vile and evil hundreds of years back. We evolve as a species through education and newfound understanding of our place in a constant malleable universe. With better understanding of the human pyche and nature's effect. Though there are still ideologies that refuse reformation to reflect the changing tide of truthful discovery because it may run counter to their beliefs. Truth is absolute and one must ponder which ideology promotes falsehoods and division, and which is simply unbiased uncompromised fact.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, this does reflect badly on those who are so judgmental that they feel they can do this....accuse and then burn to death.
A barren feeling from this...Stone Cold.
j.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Jacob for your thoughts on this poem. The worst monster is the human one. Because its behavior has a way of infecting others and turning them monstrous as well. As we see in our current circumstances where a zombie mind hive is indifferent to the lives of others whose cynicism wants to infect us with a virus capable of death. Under a faux mantra of freedom.

[Kerra]

This is so amazing, I enjoyed this write

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you for your kind words. Its says alot that someone would be persecuted and treated inhumane by simply being different and choosing to live differently. And yet a couple hundred years later the same thing continues to happen in this modern society. So much for us being modern or even civilized.we are better than this and yet continue to fail in proving we are. Thank again for your thoughts on this poem. I truly appreciate it.

[Vertigo Cat1111]

Wow, what a grand, amazing and chilling piece! I would try and pick my favorite line, but each one was so beautifully haunting, I don’t know if I could. What you write here feels far more real than a horror movie, and that’s the type of scary stuff I’m interested in- not movies, much, but the real stuff and you described something so brutally realistic and yet you wrote it so wonderfully. It’s one of those breathtaking poems- thank you for sharing.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Colacat for the kind comment on this piece. I feel just as you do that the inhumanity and cruelty we do to each other in reality is far worse than any horror movie. In researching folklore and myth one gets a true understanding of what events created these tales that capture imagination. To cast aspersions upon a woman living in isolation into something vile and evil speaks volumes of the society at that time. What I shudder to think is that mentally has changed very little since that time. Instead of being branded a witch now a days someone may be accused of something racist or sexist instead. Intolerance has not changed at all. No one deserves such brutality even a witch, especially if they have harmed no one and only want to be alone in peace. It begs the question if we can't see the humanity in each other then how can we ever hope to exist as a society. If being different is a crime I will gladly be a witch. Thank you so much again.