PRACTISING.

A GIRL IN A PSYCHIATRIC UNIT IN 1971

Christine winds
the necklace
around her

going red
small finger
the small linked

silver chain
swells the flesh
why do that?

the quack asks
to get me
away from

deeper pain
she utters
the quack scowls

his eyebrows
like dark birds
join in deep

hovering
signs of non
approval

she unwinds
the necklace
the finger

once again
turning white
practising

she whispers
shoving it
deep within

the cleavage
of her plump
bra-less breasts

the quack stares
like some kid
taken in

by an old
conjurer’s
sleight of hand

all gone now
can't see trick
you big prick

she mutters
feeling then
the warm chain

fall between
her closed thighs
sitting there

silver links
shut away
from his eyes.

Reviews

[Listmaker]

I like this story very much. Unfortunately, sometimes patients are smarter than their doctors. Christine closed down when she realized this. Really creative use of three syllables in three lines throughout the poem.

[Terry Collett]

Thank you, Listmaker.