Psych Ward by Nicole Rivet
Do you know what it's like to be in a psych ward?
Schizophrenics screaming to the Lord?
Multiple personalities making your mind hurt?
Someone in psychosis being a flirt?
A woman running around all manic?
Sending an army vet into a panic?
Boredom and sitting in awful hospital scrubs?
Your roommates doped up on too many drugs?
Another patient attempt suicide?
Depression overwhelms like a raging tide?
OCD patients constantly organizing?
Loved ones and staff being dehumanizing?
Psych wards have a bad reputation
Society has been fed the wrong information
You've got the athletes in great condition
The artists with great precision
The stories you can cry over
And the ones who just want to stay sober
There's the leader who everyone looks up to
And the patients who try to protect you
The ones who love to articulate
And those who sit back and spectate
There's the techs who are good looking
And staff to do your cleaning and cooking
The nurses and doctors are here to help you see your potential
They want your growth to become exponential
There's enough people here for socialization
And plenty of time for relaxation
Groups to help you with your goals
And to find out where there's holes
Right now, you may feel a bit confined
and have little privacy to wipe your behind
Time can take forever in here
But, it goes on out there
Color, draw, or write out your feelings
Use your snacks for private dealings
This is no store, no cards to swipe
So, satisfy your appetite
Play some ping-pong
And burst out into song
Wetting your pants you're laughing so hard
Sometimes you forget your scars
Meals are eaten all together
Bittersweet it's not forever
So get out of your comfort zone
Now that there's less fear of the unknown
Most people will never have to go through this kind of distress
Consider it a learning experience along your quest
Too many people think mental illness is a joke
A psych ward is a place for holding hope
And for those wondering where all of this came from
We've been through things you could never even fathom
Walk a mile in our shoes if you dare
No not even a mile just sit in our chairs
YOU ARE READING
Psych Ward (Poem)
PoetryA poem I wrote during my days in the psych ward. it begins with some of the misconceptions people have about a psych ward, then goes on to talk about who's actually there, and what actually happens there, then ends with a bit of advice.
