[Xmca-l] The True Story of Eleanor Marx

[David Kellogg]

The True Story of Eleanor Marx in Ten Parts
From: Bergin, T. (2017). The Tragic Death of Eleanor Marx. London: Carcanet.

1. Eleanor of the eight-hour day

Gets betrayed by Edward of the two faces.

She orders: chloroform, with just some traces

Of prussic acid—blue—a beautiful imitation.
2. She says it is for the dog but she is the dog.
3. The Housekeeper finds her dressed in white.

It’s not her bridal dress, she’s not a bride.

It’s from her childhood. She lies as if asleep.

She has strangely purple cheeks.
4. In her ‘white muslin dress’ she is laid out.
5. The Corner is exasperated with feeble Edward.

Coroner: Was the deceased your wife?

Edward: Legally?

Coroner: Were you married to the deceased?

Edward: Not legally.

Coroner: What was her age?

Edward: Forty.

(She was forty-three.)
6. On Tuesday:

Fire—

But the Phoenix,

God of Suicide,

Doesn’t rise.

And Edward doesn’t claim her.

Because now he has a real wife.
7. So the urn that holds the ashes of the soft summer dress

And of the woman who knew the power of the proletariat

And of the chunk of poisoned apple that she bit

Are taken to the offices of the SDF.
8. The offices are in Maiden Lane.
9. And in the offices in Maiden Lane,

There is a cupboard with two glass panes.

And there they place her to remain

For years and years.

Her tears are dew.

And she crushes nothing.
10. Nearly all of this is true.