an unknown history
 
not Rick’s the Kit Kat the Colony  
no Korova Milk Bar no Fat Sam’s
 
but in my great grandmother’s time
when the tea leaves knew everything
 
this was the place to park a broomstick
to exchange chants  
 
and potions agree on
the price to provide love  
 
favours or the removal of what’s
unwanted         
 
a come-uppance for the errant  
oozes wilts and odours  
 
for the disrespecting  
ticks boils genital warts
 
here covert hag-trade flourished  
innards of creepies
 
shells of crawlies         
until         effigy time         who  
 
hath offendeth  
their face scrawked  
 
on a slipshod fetish doll  
say the name         say the name
 
crewel needles raised
sharp as a glint                         
 
hideously they grin
as they plunge them in
 
and toast their victim’s demise
with dog’s nose and bullace gin


John Kitchen
 
If you have any thoughts on this poem, John Kitchen would be pleased to hear them.