Behind the Poem: Hatter Splatter

Behind the Poem: Hatter Splatter

In my second Macabre Masterpiece book, Repressed Carnage, I got a bit darker. Perhaps one of the strangest yet most profound poems in the entire book is in Chapter 3: The Morgue, which is entitled Hatter Splatter. The poem is by far one of the best poems I’ve ever written because the entire poem reads as one thing, but each line has entirely different underlying meanings. The title Hatter Splatter is a play on words of Helter Skelter, a song by the Beatles and the song in which cult leader Charles Manson swore was a message predicting inter-racial war in the U.S. The title itself also refers to the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, and the poem itself is about Alice in Wonderland from the Hatter’s violent, murderous, and off-the-wall perspective. At the time that I wrote the poem, I wanted each line to read as it does, but only those who have read Alice in Wonderland or know of different versions of it will understand the references. It still reads as a disturbing and horrific poem, but when the hidden meanings are understood, it makes it much more enjoyable. So I will list the poem below and use a CliffNotes method to break down what each line really means.

If only it were she instead of he who was murdered (She is referring to Alice and he is referring to the Cheshire Cat)

Or I for that matter..matter..(The Mad Hatter is saying perhaps even he should have died instead)

either way we shall enjoy our tea

But it’s off with the head of the middleman(The Queen of Hearts often shouts Off with their head! This is a reference to that and middleman refers to the middle class below the royalty)

We’ll enjoy his body as a cushion(The Mad Hatter is saying everyone can enjoy the Cheshire Cat’s dead body as a cushion)

Punished before a crime was ever committed(He’s saying he was already being punished because of the way he was and acted, implying he was not mentally sound and therefore was already being punished before he decided to kill)

It only drove me madder..madder..

Oh heavens! The felt’s fallen into the tea(Part of the felt from his top hat fell into his tea)

If it doesn’t seep into my skull it usually drips(Top hats were laced with mercury so he’s saying if it doesn’t seep into his skull, which it has been, it usually drips from his hat)

Either way, I’m quite mad! Always mad.

All play and no work makes Jervis a bright boy(This is a reference to All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy from The Shining and the name Jervis is from the Batman villain The Mad Hatter, whose real name was Jervis)

As I keep hearing the constant chatter..chatter..(He’s hearing voices in his head)

The call me the Hat Madder because of the hat matter(He’s dyslexic and calling himself the Hat Madder instead of the Mad Hatter, and saying they call him that because of the hat matter, which means the mercury from his hat is what makes him mad)

I’m no dummy I just enjoy being jubilant(He’s saying he’s not stupid; he just enjoys being happy and quirky but he’s just coating it)

As I enthusiastically, intricately kill again

Many have died from that which hides in my hat(Many people have died from mercury poisoning)

I’m disturbed but haven’t felt sadder..sadder..(Another emotion he’s going through as he recounts his dark act)

Since there was no one at my tea party

But yet I hear those voices calling out to me

On the contrary, I see that I’m alone now too(He is so confused by the voices that he suddenly realizes he’s been alone for quite a while)

I’m starting to forget where the murders happened

And why is it they call me the hatter..hatter..

There was a girl here once, oh what was her name? (Alice)

I don’t recall because of this blockage of madness(He’s trying to remember what happened, but his condition is getting worse)

One pill makes you larger, oh, honey pie, my position is tragic(The first line is from the song White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, which is about Alice in Wonderland, and the second line is from the song Honey Pie by the Beatles. The Hatter says these as they fit his current situation, though he may not know they are songs)

A massacre of murders have ruined the tea party

I heard nothing but the voices and splatter... splatter..

We’re all mad here, he said. You poor grinning feline(He’s quoting and referring to the Cheshire Cat)

They’re all dead here now... there was tension. (It’s revealed that he actually killed everyone in Wonderland who attended his tea party)

Why are my murders like a writing desk? (The original line is Why is a raven like a writing desk, but at this point the Mad Hatter is so far gone that while he remembers his quote, he doesn’t remember it correctly)

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