Edgy, Mystery, Noir, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Pier 13

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for dVerse Poetics: But no, a butterfly.
Our host, Merril, challenges us to write a
poem in any form incorporating the names
of at least three butterflies from a list she
has provided. I have chosen Crimson Patch,
Fatal Metalmark, Golden Hairstreak,
Painted Lady, and Velvet Rose.

© whitechapeljack.com

The fog rolls in where the neon dies,
where Fatal Metalmark once sold her lies ….
red lipstick, cheap perfume, a borrowed name,
found face-down where the tide came and came.

Golden Hairstreak worked the second slip,
promised warmth from a stranger’s grip.
He paid in full, then paid in steel,
left her where the gulls would kneel.

Painted Lady knew the game was old,
knew the pier ran veins of gold and cold.
Her killer smiled, tipped his hat, walked slow
and the Crimson Patch seeped down below.

And Velvet Rose, the last to fall,
heard footsteps echo through the stall,
turned too late, her scream cut thin,
swallowed by the black tide coming in.

Five names chalked on a coroner’s board,
five lives the city can’t afford
to mourn for long …. the pier resets,
the neon hums, the fog forgets.

NAR©2026

This is “Killer On The Loose” by Thin Lizzy

Poetics: But no, a butterfly

Everything on the elephant trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

29 thoughts on “Pier 13”

  9. Compelling piece Nance – strong rhythm and pace for your gothic poem and the use of the butterfly names for the tragic victims is very clever and works so well – as does the accompanying Thin Lizzy track 🙌

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    1. That’s exactly what I was going for, Merril. I was fascinated with the idea of giving fragile butterfly names to the victims of such an obscene act of violence. I enjoyed this challenge very much. Thanks for your gracious comments and for appreciating my poem. ☺️

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