Yiska slits
her thin wrist
-broken glass
in a bin
in the ward
what a find-
the blood comes
plentiful
beautiful
she reckons
sitting back
in the bath
of water
motherly
and warming
reddening
but a nurse
on duty
looking to
tell Yiska
the doctor
wanted her
finds her there
in the bath
drifting off
and blood soaked
EMERGECY
SUICIDE
the nurse yells
up the ward
-locked up ward
those who are
mentally
unstable
are caged here-
I am in
the main lounge
looking out
the window
snows falling
some robin
perches there
on a branch
Yiska said
earlier
she'd make it
out of here
one way or
the other
there's a rush
of nurses
and a quack
follows up
half way through
-I'm guessing-
his breakfast
there's egg yoke
at the side
of his mouth
poor Yiska
so depressed
no way out
she told me
but I guess
watching the
brave robin
sitting there
that there is
if you look
really hard
to get out
out somewhere.
PATIENTS IN A LOCKED PSYCHIATRIC WARD IN 1971