Tuesday, May 10, 2016

The Psychiatric Experience


The Psychiatric Experience
A collection of poems by Aidan Rafferty


E.C.T.

They came at 8am.
‘Where are you taking me?’
‘E.C.T.’
The needle’s sharp and stings.
You wake up; confused.
‘You’ll be better soon’.



Dreadfully Sorry

Well, we had to bring you in.
We can’t have it you know.
You were swimming around.                    
Can’t have that, you know.
Look at the smile on your face.
It’s serious, you know.
Don’t you realize what you’ve done.
Can’t have that you know.
Dreadfully sorry.



Be A Patient Patient

‘I want to see the doctor’.
You’ll have to wait’.
‘I want a cigarette’.
You’ll have to wait’.
‘I want a cup of tea’.
You’ll have to wait’.
‘How is the patient today, nurse?
‘Impatient’.



Thinking

‘There’s nothing good or bad.
But thinking makes it so’.
I think I’m well,
Therefore I am well
You think I’m ill,
Therefore I am ill.
I think that’s right,
But someone’s wrong.                



Wondering

I wandered around the ward,
Wondering.
What it would be like,
To be allowed to go out alone.
But to be out alone,
You must first be well.
Which is why you wander on the ward.



Relapse 

‘How is the patient?
‘Much better. He’s taken his medication’.
‘Had a shower and made his bed.’
‘He’s just had a row
With a member of staff.’
‘The patient has had a relapse.’



The smile you smile

Your smile that day,
Was the only thing
That gave me strength to live.
You hoped that way,
I’d laugh and sing.
Forget and forgive.



Special

You were beautiful,
But  not especially so.
You were intelligent,
But not especially so,
You were funny,
But not especially so.
You were kind,
Especially so.
You were you,
You were special.

No comments:

Post a Comment

New Stories

Popular Posts