the embalming Bath above.
I went to Broken Hill one day to visit there
my friend took me to a town called Silverton.
They have an old jail built from pioneer days,
movies are made in this town I was told.
The place that interested me was the Jail
I walked through it with no cares or fears
until I came to the embalming room!
As soon as I walked in through the door.
I felt hostilities of past ghosts.
They have an embalming bath set in there
For prisoner’s who died to preserve them
until their folks came to claim their bodies,
which often took months - sometimes never.
They have an embalming bath set in there
For prisoner’s who died to preserve them
until their folks came to claim their bodies,
which often took months - sometimes never.
Now the spirits of these poor souls won’t rest;
they stay there to suffer eternal grief,
bound to that room where bodies were placed;
still waiting for their loved ones, now long gone,
to come and collect them from unloved burial.
I could almost hear them cry mournfully
to be released from their torment and waiting.
I could not stay in that room so I left.
It made me cry to feel the grief and pain;
The sorrow I felt keeps coming back again.
Author notes
Kiwi Group
This is a true story. This is a picture I took of the embalming bath, I'll never forget the feeling of anguish I felt when I entered that room. As some weren't collected, they were buried by the prison people, unloved. Although their folks are long gone, the tormented souls are still waiting for their bodies to be collected and buried with love.
The Silverton Gaol
The original gaol consisted of a makeshift wood and iron structure. Prisoners were secured at night with leg-irons to prevent their escape and, when the limited cell accommodation overflowed, they were chained to a nearby peppercorn tree.
In 1888 Walter Morris commenced laying out the ground for the alterations to the Police Barracks, which was only wood and iron at the time.
By April 4, 1889, Walter Morris was asked to build a further two cells of 12 foot by 16 foot each. Hospital building with offices, exercise yard and shelter sheds for men and women prisoners, a room for the warder, storeroom, and other offices and a kitchen.
Silverton is in NEW SOUTH WALES. AUSTRALIA.
Silverton is now tagged the 'Hollywood of the Outback' because of its tremendous appeal to the film and advertising industries. The town has a constant population of around 60 but this figure varies considerably and often, depending on the number of production staff passing through.
Films shot on location here include: Mad Max 2, Razorback, A Town Like Alice, and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. If you want to find out about every ad or movie that's been shot in and around here, look for the unofficial list printed out on a piece of cardboard in the beer garden at the Silverton Hotel when you call in for a drink.
Written February 5th, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- Aussie, Africa, New Zealand, Glee Club group members ONLY by Janice M Pickett.
350 points, ended February 12, 2006, 2 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - FOR HUGH WYLES FAVOURITE’S GROUP ONLY # 11 by huguenauties.
800 points, ended May 12, 2007, 18 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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Congratulations Hine on your Silver Trophy win.
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excellent~
When I was little my mom and dad were friends with the people who owned our local funeral home...we would go their on Fridays for supper and they lived in the upper part..they took wide eyed innocent little me one night downstairs to the embalming room and my eyes really did open..I can imagine what this must of been like in the pioneer days from then to modern time.......I am sure had they had the choice to live until this time they would take the more modern embalming room over the old...
Death is depressing and can be haunting indeed in a place like this...thanks for the chilling read and the info to go with it....
Best of luck in the contest....
I entered too do hope ya come give me a read as well
Hugs
Susan~~~
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An embalming room would be enough to depress anyone, and the remains being unclaimed is indeed sad. To be either lost or unloved in life/death seems to me to be a waste of that precious gift of existence.
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oh my goodness, hinemoa...... what a spine-chilling poem...
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That is an amazing and terrible story - just knowing such a thing happened gives me chills. The emotion of these ghosts that you felt is painfully clear - well written!
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Very sad story!
I feel bad for those prisoners left alone with no one to claim them.
I cannot dwell on thoughts like these, it causes me to feel ill at ease.
Good Luck in the contest!
♥ Maureen
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Dear Hine,
I remember, you, Mia, Til and A/J telling me about the embalming room and how it made my hair stand on end.WOOOOOOO rather creepy but I enjoyed reading about it.
Love Jen
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Dear Hine,
I can imagine that a visit to an embalming room would be an unpleasant experience to say the least.
Aunty Joan has visited us twice in Christcurch where we have dozens of funeral services, all of whom I am sure, offer excellent embalming facilities. I feel that perhaps I was remiss as a host in that it never occurred to me to take her to visit them. When Joan comes again next year with her daughter Sharron, should they express a burning desire to inspect our local embalming resources, I will endeavour to redress my former failures.
Perhaps you will accompany us and give us the benefit of your expertise in this respect.
Congratulations on an enthralling story. Good luck in the contest.
Applause, love and hugs, XXX Hugh R.
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Dear Hine, I can remember that day that we went there with Mia as we both felt the difference in the embalming room, it was very spooky.
A great write.
Thankyou for entering our group contest and good luck.
A/J
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What an interesting piece!! I can just imagine the feeling of being in that embalming room... sadness, forlornly, creepyness and more.
A good job here. Good luck in the contest
Dee
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Thanks Dee, yes it was an eerie feeling, each time I stepped out I lost it and as soon as I went back in the room the feeling of despair came back.
Thankyou for your lovely comment.
Hine.
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excellent
this is such a amazing tale that you told of your experiences here in the embalming room just reading about it was enough for me to experience thanks for sharing your experiences with us sally good on you for your winning a bronze too
~~much love pauline -
Thankyou Jan for honouring me with the Bronze trophy and the points Hooly dooly I am so excited.
Hine.
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Congratulations Hine on your Bronze Trophy.
Hugs Joan.
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Wow what an amazing story. How sad it is too. I guess thats what Hell is really. Being trapped like that.
Thanks so much for entering
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Dear Hine, I'm glad you entered this story in the contest, it enthralled me when you told me about it, and to see it in print makes it all the more sad for those poor souls that are still in limbo. I hope someones has visited there and shown them to the light. A wonderful story my dear friend.
Love Joan
Edited on Feb 05, 6:16 because ''.
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