Dear Ted Bundy, Will You Marry Me?

My first thought upon reading is of when Bundy was in prison, I heard he received many love letters from women. It struck me as such a macabre thing. These narcissist sociopaths tend to be a cult of personality, I remember Richard Ramirez appeared on The Dating Game and was chose by the bachelorette, but immediately upon meeting him, she refused to go on the date, some instinct probably saved her life.

Your metaphors really bring across that intrinsic violence. We call it a lack of humanity, but it seems like we have just as much capacity to cooperate and build as we do to war and destroy.

Pretty much nailed my intention DC. Thank you. Bundy seemed to have zero grasp of the magnitude of his crimes. It's one helluva subjective World view to have no objective awareness. Lack of empathy is unimaginable.

Our ability to reflect and be cognisant, is supposedly what separates us from animals. Said before, God should have left the World to the fucking dinosaur. It's kind of ironic that a trait of the sociopath is empathy only with animals.

Thank you Sight I appreciate it.

The different fonts are not easy on my eyes, but that might be a me problem haha.

I did read an article suggesting that the minority of women’s attraction to killers is derived from an evolutionary impulse to find the most savage protector and cosy up to him for both protection and insurance of genetic continuation, a desire to breed with the most dominant male. Or something like that.

An explanation I liked better came from a woman journalist writing about Levi Bellfield’s prison bride:

“The only common factor … found among hundreds of interviewees was sexual or physical abuse. Most had experienced a coercive relationship; a controlling father, a boyfriend who monitored her every move. Now the violent, dominating guy is under her control. How cathartic to cage your monster.“ (“Dark psychology of the prison dating game”, 13 May 2022, The Times)

I think I told you that for a brief period I exchanged letters with a guy on Florida’s death row. Not quite Ted Bundy level, and I wasn’t trying to bang him! It was in connection with a British charity that I found advertising for pen pals via my local volunteers’ bureau.

I was attracted to the idea of showing empathy to the worst of humanity, the Quentin Crisp idea that forgiveness means nought if you can’t extend it to the unforgivable.

I think at a deeper level I was trying to come to terms with some not-always-stellar people in my life and figure out who I was.

At any rate, I enjoyed this poem. The letters to the killer are remarkably well done, savage and poetic and troubling. The imagery of Barbie and Ken is also appropriately shocking and surreal. The penultimate verse too is stunning. That “cheering for the maladjusted” phrase is perfectly judged and executed. No pun intended.

Many thanks for the thoughtful and insightful comment mate."and I wasn’t trying to bang him" - genuinely made me laugh out loud.

Levi Bellfield prison bride? Now, that is shocking. I was under the impression he had converted to Islam. This could have been about any serial killer in the World. It's something I probably need to read and listen more about. It's a confusing and confused world. Rob

😳

Strange and perfect you know LOL

I know, you know, What's with the emoji thingie above? The man looks damn constipated. Diolch. Rob

A very thought provoking poem. I really enjoyed it. A much darker,  and indeed far superior in articulation version of "Stan".

What a disturbing phenomenon all the same!?  

Many thanks. The human mind is a complicated business. Trying to look into the human mind can be a disturbing experience.

Thanks for the comment sight. Think we all have a morbid fascination with the dark side, as it can reveal deeper truths of the human psyche.

I watched a Bundy documentary with an ex (yeah, crime docs counted as top entertainment in that twisted r'ship. lol). She simpered 'oh, he does have a sexy voice.' These things are best left to the qualified psychiatrists.

Distance of time also seems to be a curious facet. Jack the Ripper has become embedded in UK culture, in same way as Queen Victoria or Dickens. You can actually attend Ripper tours, replete with actors and songs of the time. I attended with friends on the night 'Jack' must have spent the afternoon in a tavern. He was so pissed he slurred.

I've written about my fascination with Ted
and not only my own but with America's fascination
what drew all those women to his court
it wasn't revulsion beautiful women were vying for his attention
I wonder where humanity is at with this regards
and I wonder if our heavenly Father is much more a hunter
than anything else...

Thanks for comment Crim. It's a very complicated business. As a male, am far from qualified to add any further insight.