A (too) quiet, quaint little village...
Maladies of Magnitude
by Dean Kuch Stay away!
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of violence.
Maladies of Magnitude
~~~~~~~~~~~~~†~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I looked yon village over, scents of jasmine, whiffs of clover,
wafted deftly, drifting over—over verdant hills so green.
Had I known the deadly danger that awaited ev’ry stranger.
As I was, a roving ranger—yearned for sights set so serene.
Why, then, did it feel unclean?
Yonder there, in deepest valley; dare I go, or dillydally?
Wonderment, my soul did rally—rallied ‘round my fears of dread. Dammit, man!–my soul stood screaming–waiting here is not redeeming;
what I’d find there, so unseeming; unprepared was I, instead.
Townsfolk stood—eyes white, as dead.
Feelings of unease assailed me; what insanity now ailed me?
Had my sanity now failed me—failed me as it had before?
None within the village proper moved about, save one lone pauper. “Come now, sir, see what's in store." With skin as black as aigremore; arms reached out, blistered and sore…
As I stood there gasping, wheezing, it grew cold, I shivered, freezing;
there was nothing nice or pleasing in this vile Devil's den.
Tho' I sensed he longed to help me, I winced once, he flinched quite plainly.
When I uttered, “most ungainly…”eyes rolled back, he scratched his chin.
I'd been blinded by my sin.
On my bare skin, leisons fester—still I laugh; an insane jester.
Now I must but die and rest here—rest here in sad solitude.
Had I known what would befall me, would adventure e’er have called me?
Trap'd here now, disease enwalls me; like the pauper whom I'd shooed.
Maladies of magnitude.
Author Notes *Definition of malady pluralmaladies 1) a disease or disorder of the animal body
2) an unwholesome or disordered condition
*Definition of magnitude noun 1) great size or extent
In other words, the title could have read: "Diseases of Great Extent". It just doesn't seem to have the same poetic "ring" to it, does it?
*aigremore (noun) Charcoal prepared for making powder.
*ranger (noun) -a person or thing that wanders or ranges over a particular area or domain.
Notes
A weary traveler wanders upon a quaint village in a remote valley in the Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland.
The townsfolk stare blindly ahead, oblivious to the stranger's presence. They cannot help because they cannot hear his pleas or move.
He is an outsider.
The only one who can and is willing to help is a leper who appears to be the villages only moving, speaking inhabitant. He offers to help the stranger find his way safely through the disease ravaged streets.
However, the traveler refuses to allow him to get near, thus ignoring the man's offer of assistance.
Because of his arrogance, vanity, repulsion, and fear over something he doesn't understand, he falls victim to the very thing he's afraid of. 10/04/2016
All of the artwork in this poem was generously provided by the incomparable Polish painter and surrealist horror artist, Mr. Zdzislaw Beksinski.
Thank you, "Z".
And as always, thank you for reading my morbid musings.
