I can’t get this damn song out of my head. The fate of Mary has always been a source of speculation. Don’t get me started on the video; Richard Marx has form. Personally, I think the protagonist murdered her by the river. The redneck cop has been released from the investigation; the lyrics give no clue to his guilt. The victim always knows their killer, right? There’s evidence of a troubled childhood and discontent in the Nebraska backwater, perhaps leading to a profoundly disturbed mind. The accused feels persecuted, a thousand fingers pointing at him; an example of extreme paranoia. He also refuses to accept responsibility, typical behaviour for a psychopath.
Occam’s razor
a bearded reflection
in the mill pool
is an ecologist, poet, and children’s author from Manningtree in Essex, UK. His haiku have been published in Frogpond, Modern Haiku, and The Heron’s Nest, while his tanka have appeared in Atlas Poetica, Ribbons, and Skylark. His first collection of poetry, Wilderness, was published by Brambleby Books in 2015 with a second, On the Edge, following in 2017. Tim’s debut children’s book, The Voyage of the Queen Bee, was published by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in 2016 with a second, Geronimo the Grasshopper, appearing in 2017.
