LIP TO LIP 1971

TWO PATIENTS ON A LOCKED PSYCHIATRIC WARD IN 1971 WATCHING SNOW.

It is dark
early dawn
I can't sleep

so wander
from my bed
on the men's

dormitory
to the lounge
passing by

the night nurse
who's sitting
in her room

writing up
her report
can't you sleep?

she calls out
I walk back
to her door

and peer in
no I can't
thought I'd go

to the lounge
have a smoke
watch the snow

falling down
did you now?
aren't you on

sleeping pills?
still wake up
I tell her

she muses
looks at me
have to see

if the doc
will increase
the dosage

she replies
then Yiska
comes behind

puts her arms
around me
early bird

she whispers
kisses my neck
soft warm lips

not you too
the nurse says
have to see

the doctor
about both
of you two

put Benny
down Yiska
go and sit

in the lounge
and cool off
both of you

the nurse says
so we do
wander up

to the lounge
and go stand
by the large

lounge window
watch the snow
coming down

on the trees
and the grounds
below us

and the fields
beyond that
how calming

it all looks
Yiska says
like a big

Christmas card
I reply
we light up

cigarettes
and stand there
holding hands

two lost souls
on the bridge
of a slow

sinking ship
removing
cigarettes

then kissing
with passion
lip to lip.