stonepicnicking_okapi

I'm a fan of Edward Gorey's art and poetry since I watched PBS Mystery! as a child. It is often dark and macabre. Today is his birthday. It's not much of a stretch to make him murder-y. My 'library bag' (the one I reserve for taking library books to and from) got a compliment yesterday at the library and it is Edward Gorey art.

Here's a collage using the February pages of 2024 Edward Gorey wall calendar my sister gave me for Xmas.

And my own attempt at a Gorey-esque verse (using the letters G O R E Y)

February 22 by okapi

The Garrotter’s now a Mystery
To ‘Days Gone By’ his Art is Lost
His Moment to Shine is History
These Days have got his Wires Crossed.

The Ominous Noise is Exhausted
From Harbinger-ing Doom Day and Night
Just Once, he’ll surprise the Accosted
And Kill Them with Kindness, not Fright.

The Rogue’s no Longer in Vogue it Seems
His Charms are not nearly so Prized
His Lies don’t comprise the stuff of Dreams
His Deceit’s been Outsourced and Outsized

The Executioner’s a Rare Breed
Punishment not so Capital
State-Sanctioned Death an Obsolete Deed
When War Is more much Practical

The fake Yogi could be a New Trend
In Killer! Think of the Poses!
With each Breath and Neatly-struck Bend,
The Very End, sweetly, Forecloses.

---

And one of Gorey's own verses, one of his most known.

The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey

A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.
B is for Basil assaulted by bears.
C is for Clair who wasted away.
D is for Desmond thrown out of the sleigh.

E is for Ernest who choked on a peach.
F is for Fanny, sucked dry by a leech.
G is for George, smothered under a rug.
H is for Hector, done in by a thug.
I is for Ida who drowned in the lake.
J is for James who took lye, by mistake.
K is for Kate who was struck with an axe.
L is for Leo who swallowed some tacks.
M is for Maud who was swept out to sea.
N is for Nevil who died of ennui.
O is for Olive, run through with an awl.
P is for Prue, trampled flat in a brawl.
Q is for Quinton who sank in a mire.
R is for Rhoda, consumed by a fire.
S is for Susan who perished of fits.
T is for Titas who blew into bits.
U is for Una who slipped down a drain.
V is for Victor, squashed under a train.
W is for Winie, embedded in ice.
X is for Xerxes, devoured by mice.
Y is for Yoric whose head was bashed in.
Z is for Zilla who drank too much gin.