ONE SOUTH ANNEX

i met a girl in the madhouse once
she never slept
she never shut up
but she was funny

she sold cigarettes for a dollar
and never got caught smoking
while the rest of us did.

we played spades
and she taught us
how to play mah-jongg
she had her parents buy
white castle for the whole ward.

she had tantrums
she'd get in trouble
security would come
and restrain her
then she got the harpoon
and put in that room

she ordered five course meals for us
did our laundry
and hoarded treats for us

then they let her go.

i forget her name now
but i'll never forget
the fun i had
 committed
that time.

Reviews

[writing mojo]

been there, just not in the welcome company you have serenaded in this piece, it's a great poetic story, loved it

[SLW]

Great characterisation and a very clear poem showing the cunning of the girl and the activities that used to happen.

[J]

omg! poignant, hilarious, distressing. i did a 6 wk stint and we had one like this, as well. and she taught me how to break all the rules. she got caught [too visible], but i never did. i don't remember her name either, but she had great shoes.

your tone is typically 'you' -- no apology, no drama -- it was what it was.

we're all a bit nuts. great share. thanks!

[3110843110843110]

Real poetry about a real girl.

Brilliant!

[Wondering Mind]

The pace of this serves both the memory and the character very well.
I liked how the 4 stanzas after the first defined a different side of her, and the one liner " then they let her go."- Very effective.

[Ken Simm.]

Oh this is so delightfully twisted. I find the way you put down these words and the words you chose to be so apropos. Wonderful, funny, tragic and convoluted all at once.

[MOON]

Poignant , who defines what is sane and what is not?

[Leslie Philibert]

What I really like is the honesty and directness with which you write, funny, wry,ironical and true. I work with young people who have mental illnesses, and what you write contains a real important truth, that people who are ill are still people, who are often creative, funny, happy and able to get well. A great poem.

[LJW]

I so relate. I was committed as a teenager for 2 years......

Very interesting and it spoke out a lot. Its as if you are hanging on to this memory for a reason and expressing it through the poem made it amazing. great job with this piece and I can't wait to read more.