RIOT LIKE 1971

A FLARE UP IN A PSYCHIATRIC WARD IN 1971.

There's the day kid
whom they drop off
very weekday
to the locked ward

and he stands there
by the window
peering out
or he follows

Yiska about
sometimes standing
right in front of her
now and then

muttering obscenities
I sit on the sofa
in the main lounge
trying to ignore him

listening to the music
from the radio
Maggie May
by Rod Stewart

seems to be on
and Yiska says
get out of my face
you suck face

the kid just stands there
with that stupid grin
and no nurses
seems to notice

or care or whatever
and I get up
and push him
away from her

and he topples back
against the wall
and comes at me
and all of a sudden

nurses are there
in between us
holding him back
and me from

socking him to the jaw
what's going on?
a nurse says
some big overweight

male nurse
the kid keeps on
pestering me
and Benny was just

keeping him away
Yiska says
we cannot have violence
the big nurse says

then keep him
out of my face then
Yiska says
or I'll knee him

some place
and it won't be his face
the nurse takes
the kid off

to a different area
and sits him down
I go stand by Yiska
and we walk to

the brown sofa
well worn
but at least we
have peace and quiet

and not a down town
in house riot.