Thompson’s 1st Published Poem.

[Richard Patterson]

The Passion of Mary' was Thompson's first published poem.

Over a year after a homeless Francis Thompson had sent his submission to the "Merry England' which had been shelved, the magazine’s editor Wilfrid Meynell, deciding to have a bonfire, took Thompson's now dusty parcel and opened it. Before consigning it to the flame's, the editor, first as a joke, proceeded to read aloud Thompson's, “The Passion of Mary'. The poem had been written on Sunday September 19 1885. Thompson wrote the poem on the night of the sermon given by Fr. Richardson, the brother of his future stepmother, in St Mary's church, Ashton-under-Lyne.

In the poem, Thompson describes a dying mother of Christ bleeding to death from the five wounds He suffered on the crucifixion. It was first submitted to a publisher in February 1887 and was released in June 1888, two months before the Ripper claimed his five female victims.

Part of the poem tells,

'O Lady Mary, thy bright crown
Is no mere crown of majesty;
For with the reflex of His own
Resplendent thorns Christ circled thee.
...
On the hard cross of hope deferred

Thou hung'st in loving agony,
Until the mortal-dreaded word
Which chills our mirth, spake mirth to thee.
The angel Death from this cold tomb
Of life did roll the stone away,
And he thou barest in thy womb
Caught thee at last into day,
Before the living throne of Whom
The Lights of Heaven burning pray.'

'The red rose of this Passion-tide
Doth take a deeper hue from thee,
In the five wounds of Jesus dyed,
And in thy bleeding thoughts, Mary...
O thou who dwellest in the day!
Behold, I pace amidst the gloom,
Darkness is ever round my way
With little space for sunbeam-room!’

[GUT]

So ... how does this in any way impact on the claims that he was JtR

[Richard Patterson]

So ... how does this in any way impact on the claims that he was JtR

I no way. I just felt it was relevant because it was this poem that first made me think Thompson could be the Ripper. No part of it made me think so. All of it did.t. In 1997 I was a university student of philosophy and literature when I read this love song. Thompson’s poems are almost always built on imagery rather than story. This piece was poetized from a short text he wrote. He was inspired to write something after visiting the estate of Wilfrid Blunt. Thompson was so charmed by Wilfrid Blunt's Arabian horses and house’s décor that he used its exotic style to write his text. There is nothing in the poem that references the Ripper murders and I find it one of his most beautiful poems. What made me think he was the Ripper was when I read it was how the premise was hidden by aesthetic subterfuge. The writer asks the listener to sacrifice and risk everything, family, friends and their identity while the poet only offers himself in return. If the poem were reduced to a single sentence it would be ‘Love nobody but me!’ Who would fall for this poem? I had in those weeks prior read a bit on Jack the Ripper. What if the listener was a fearful Whitechapel woman, who had been taught to fear a brutish butcher or strong tattooed foreign sailor for the murders in the East End? I pictured a poor, scared prostitute walking fearfully and desperately through the night. I pictured her jump momentarily when she is tapped on the shoulder only to be greeted by the voice of poet who smiling asks if she would like to hear a poem. Of course I was being highly imaginative. I am not trying to provide proof or influence the impact of my assertion. Merely providing information.

[GUT]

I no way. I just felt it was relevant because it was this poem that first made me think Thompson could be the Ripper. No part of it made me think so. All of it did.t. In 1997 I was a university student of philosophy and literature when I read this love song. Thompson’s poems are almost always built on imagery rather than story. This piece was poetized from a short text he wrote. He was inspired to write something after visiting the estate of Wilfrid Blunt. Thompson was so charmed by Wilfrid Blunt's Arabian horses and house’s décor that he used its exotic style to write his text. There is nothing in the poem that references the Ripper murders and I find it one of his most beautiful poems. What made me think he was the Ripper was when I read it was how the premise was hidden by aesthetic subterfuge. The writer asks the listener to sacrifice and risk everything, family, friends and their identity while the poet only offers himself in return. If the poem were reduced to a single sentence it would be ‘Love nobody but me!’ Who would fall for this poem? I had in those weeks prior read a bit on Jack the Ripper. What if the listener was a fearful Whitechapel woman, who had been taught to fear a brutish butcher or strong tattooed foreign sailor for the murders in the East End? I pictured a poor, scared prostitute walking fearfully and desperately through the night. I pictured her jump momentarily when she is tapped on the shoulder only to be greeted by the voice of poet who smiling asks if she would like to hear a poem. Of course I was being highly imaginative. I am not trying to provide proof or influence the impact of my assertion. Merely providing information.

Thanks for clarifying that Richard.


But isn't ‘Love nobody but me!’ , what poets and songwriters have done down through the ages?

would love to see some proof of where he was in 1888, with the clams that he was in hospital really needing some clarification.

[Richard Patterson]

Thanks for clarifying that Richard.


But isn't ‘Love nobody but me!’ , what poets and songwriters have done down through the ages?

would love to see some proof of where he was in 1888, with the clams that he was in hospital really needing some clarification.

Good point. I guess all poems are love poems and maybe all for love to be directed back to the writer. Very astute observation. I would love to see some proof of where he was in 1888 too. The claims of him being in hospital seem to originate from the Meynell family who took Thompson from the streets. It could have been anytime from the end of September till the middle of November, if at all. The hospital alibi is important to consider. If I or you or anyone could proof that he was in a hospital during any of the murders then it would put this suspect to bed.

[GUT]

Good point. I guess all poems are love poems and maybe all for love to be directed back to the writer. Very astute observation. I would love to see some proof of where he was in 1888 too. The claims of him being in hospital seem to originate from the Meynell family who took Thompson from the streets. It could have been anytime from the end of September till the middle of November, if at all. The hospital alibi is important to consider. If I or you or anyone could proof that he was in a hospital during any of the murders then it would put this suspect to bed.

And if it did originate with the Meynell's they are a good source, unless they were covering for him.

[Richard Patterson]

And if it did originate with the Meynell's they are a good source, unless they were covering for him.

This extract for a longer dissertation I have just posted on my Francis Thompson the Perfect Suspect Thread. It looks at the possibility that they were covering for him as suggested by Dr. Bond for the Ripper.

....Dr. Thomas Bond, who performed Kelly's autopsy, wrote of the Ripper that, ‘He is possibly living among respectable persons who have some knowledge of his character and habits and who may have grounds for suspicion that he is not quite right in his mind at times. Such persons would probably be unwilling to communicate suspicions to the Police for fear of trouble or notoriety, whereas if there were a prospect of reward it might overcome their scruples.’ Prior to 1888 Thompson had been largely homeless. His publisher and editor, Wilfrid Meynell, had taken Thompson into his home and offered to find him accommodation. Thompson rejected this offer telling him that he wished to remain on the streets to seek out a prostitute that had left him after a year-long relationship. When Meynell had published Thompson’s first poem in April 1888, he knew little about him, but by August 1888, when the murders began, Meynell had come to discover that Thompson had studied as a surgeon. He had also been given by Thompson a poem, which he never published, called the ‘Nightmare of the Witch Babies’ This poem was about a knight who wanders the land after dark hunting down women and disemboweling them with a knife. By the time the murders began, Meynell had already published Thompson’s poems, had him visit and bathe in his house and paid him to money to make him look respectable. Even if Meynell were possibly suspicious of Thompson he may have been afraid to approach the authorities....

[GUT]

This extract for a longer dissertation I have just posted on my Francis Thompson the Perfect Suspect Thread. It looks at the possibility that they were covering for him as suggested by Dr. Bond for the Ripper.

....Dr. Thomas Bond, who performed Kelly's autopsy, wrote of the Ripper that, ‘He is possibly living among respectable persons who have some knowledge of his character and habits and who may have grounds for suspicion that he is not quite right in his mind at times.

Thanks Richard.

One other suspect springs to mind when I read this.