I’ve three poems in Book of Ten launched by Zebra Publications at the Cumberland Arms on Thursday November 19th.

All three poems revolve around Mary Ann Cotton. Incidentally the definitive book on Cotton is Arthur Appleton’s ‘Mary Ann Cotton’ published in 1973. It is out-of-print but Amazon or Ebay may reveal the odd copy.

MARY ANN COTTON was hung in Durham Jail in March, 1873. She allegedly poisoned 21 of her family, including her children.

Here’s the children’s rhyme some might recall:

“She’s dead and she’s dead rotten
She lies in her bed
With her eyes wide oppen.
Sing, sing oh what can I sing?
Mary Cotton is tied up with string.
Where. Where? Up in the air
Sellin’ black puddens a penny a pair.”

And here are my poems.

Arsenic in Broth

Loved aa few men,
gave everything
but there again
that’s not aa sin.

Aa woman’s place:
stuck in th’ home,
but there’s disgrace
when ya alone.

Arsenic in broth
is tha full stop.

Tom Kelly

Me Man’s Daft Face

Aa knaa me needs:
hide any trace,
give him aa feed,
see his daft face.

Th’ big bugga,
aa knaa it’s wrong,
there’s annottha
comin’ along.

Better than nowt:
gives me aa shout.

Me

Feed poison
ti th’ bairn,
too many,
less of aa life.
Aa dole out death,
insure bairns,
and husbands,
cash in th’ hand,
better than nowt:
poison feeds me.

Tom Kelly

http://www.zebrapublishing.co.uk/ZEBRA/Ten_by_Ten.html