Won't You Let Me In (A POEM)

[radha]

*This is a fucken poem. It's a protest song, of sorts.

If you're not crazy enough
in this brave new world,
if you're not hearing voices
or seeing things,
the Man won't let you into
the looney bin!
No, the Man won't let you into
the looney bin!

You can walk around all sad
and blue, suffering
in silence until you go mad,
but they won't let you into
the looney bin!
No, the man won't let you into
the looney bin!

For the only way in is
to hallucinate,
to say God is telling you
to be harm another,
or harm yourself,
to see the devil in a baby,
and try to kill it too...

Well, then though my hearing
is perfectly normal,
and my sight is clear,
my brain's inflamed
with a strong desire
to medicate this pain within.
So please let me in!

Oh, I am crazy enough,
though I don't hallucinate.
Oh, I am as mad as those
who inhabit your psychwards,
though my fears are washed away.
Oh, no voices plague me, but
my heart has something to say:

If I'm not crazy enough
in this brave new world,
if I'm not hearing voices
or seeing things,
won't you please let me into
the looney bin!
Oh, won't you let me into
the looney bin!
Oh, I feel this strange desire
to voice this pain within!
Won't you please let me in?
Won't you please, please let me in?

*During a brief interview, either in person or on the phone, an intake clinician from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions will ask a serious of questions to determine your mental state.

If you do not claim to hear voices or see things that are causing you to choose to harm yourself and/or others, then they won't book an appointment for you.:o

The clinician may even suggest you seek another GP if he's wise enough not to place you on benzodiazepines or anti-depressants.8)

In BC, there is a form that a psychiatrist will try to get you to sign to allow him to give you anti-psychotics.

Boy, am I glad my mood is stable despite the borderline personality disorder!

[radha]

I think about 1983 I was told to stop visiting a halfway house for mentally ill young adults (including coke addicts who suffered psychosis).

Actually, I'd met R.A. on the bus circa 1982. His father today is a retired Air Canada pilot whose wife died of cancer, and he's moved away to Florida. From what I recall from one visit to his parents years ago, R.A.'s behavior appeared to stress out his mother a lot.

One time R.A. walked home in rubber boots.

Another time, R.A. acted as if though the bus was a city street, and he both tried to light a cigarette and later spit on the floor of the bus. I'd convinced him to not light up.

Once R.A. dated and fell in love with this most anxious young lady. We visited Stanley Park, and in the underpass she spotted the chalk outline of someone who had died in the tunnel. She freaked out until we calmed her down.

Recently I met R.A. after about 10-15 years of no contact. He's on the medications that work for him. His mom had passed away, and his dad in Florida. The anxious GF had died due to the ravages of a cocaine addiction. I didn't have the heart to ask about the one child they had together. And, by this time, the cops made it their job to harrass him when he was whacked out by whatever drugs (usually pot) he might be taking to take the edge of his meds.

A few weeks later, I saw him with an attractive lady at Safeway.

This was about two years ago.

All I could think about R.A. is, "Man, even schizophrenics get game."

[lildonkey]

I think R.A. should buy an electric magnetic pulse bomb, and set it off in your computer room.

[esoter1c]

[-evil-duerr-]

and for our jeapordy daily double question...

Originally Posted by radha

Won't you please let me in?
Won't you please, please let me in?

answer: What radha says to the Toys R Us store manager after being kicked out for suspicious behaviour?


CORRECT!!!