OUTSIDE THE WARD 1967

A MAN VISITS A GIRLFRIEND ON A DRUG ADDICT'S WARD IN 1967

She's outside
I see her
in a chair

(some nurse said
on the ward
look outside)

in a short
pink nightie
hi Nima

how are things?
she exhales
grey smoke rings

as my dad
used to do
but his were

grey and blue
not so good
pretty s**t

stuck in here
she slow moans
take a seat

and lets talk
I sit down
and hand her

cigarettes
and some chocs
in a box

you're too kind
she tells me
no one else

sees me here
none visit
from the church

or the club
I light up
and we smoke

as we talk
she of drugs
and bad nights

and no sex
and I talk
of cool jazz

and cold beer
and missing
her body

next to mine
in the bed
I'm sex starved

she complains
so much so
that the nurse

on the ward
the plump one
on at night

seems sexy
that I would
if I could

if she might
in my bed
be sexy

with bad me
if only
in my head.