Patient 109

At the grim old State Asylum
It was Dr. Shrike's first day;
He hummed a pleasant little tune
As he made his merry way
Into the Violent Ward, to see
The case he'd been assigned...
The Asylum's most deranged inmate
Known as Patient 109.
"He's been here almost thirteen years,"
The orderly explained,
As he led Shrike down a grungy hall
Whose walls were bleak and stained;
"Shall I go in with you, Doctor?
He's dangerous, you know..."
But Dr. Shrike just shook his head
And replied, "Thank you, no."
109 sat in a corner
Of his roomy padded cell;
He made no move to turn
And see who had entered his hell.
"Good morning, sir," said Dr. Shrike,
"And how are you today?"
"Go fuck yourself," said 109,
"That's how I am, okay?"
"Perhaps you'd feel better
If you told me something more,"
Said Dr. Shrike as he sat down
Upon the padded floor.
"I'm here to listen--tell me how
You wound up in this cell?"
109 shrugged: "I'm inside here
Because outside is Hell!
"The whole damn world is evil---
I hear it everywhere...
Those vile hissing Voices
Creep my flesh and curl my hair!
"Every rustle in the bushes--every
Breeze up in the trees...
Every goddamn chirping sparrow---
They are ALL my enemies!
And their Voices!  God, their VOICES---
Singing songs of death and blood;
Ordering me to sacrifice
To The Black Goat of the Wood...
"When I'm in town, there's no escape---
On every flight of stairs
And in each hall lurk Shadows
Trying to take me unawares...
"Last night I dreamed I killed a man
Whose face looked just like mine----
Is that a form of suicide?"
Asked Patient 109...
And as he spoke, he turned to face
Good Dr. Shrike, who froze---
For he and 109 were twins
From their hairline to their toes!
Patient 109 grinned and sprang---
No one could hear their screams
Outside that big thick padded cell
Where 109 sits and dreams and schemes
And waits and plots and plans...
He stepped out in the doctor's coat,
Rubbing his pale hands:
"Leave 109 be--he's resting,"
He told the orderly.
They found 109's cell empty;
No one saw Dr. Shrike again...
What do YOU think happened
In that padded cell, my friend?