With the use of intoxicants
he was able to go to
another world in his mind.
Just like he used to do
with the morphine
when he was all
split in half.
He begged for the morphine then,
demanded the morphine then.

“damned if you are administering
the correct dosage
on this particular machine”
he whispered hoarsely
to the black nurse.
“I know this particular machine.
I have been here that long, yes,
and you have just given me
one tenth, A TENTH
DAMN YOU…
…A TENTH…
OF WHAT I AM
SUPPOSED
TO
BE
GETTING!!!”

You know what
that nurse told him.
you know what
that nurse told him.
you know what.
you know what.
you know what
that nurse told him—
“You living high on the hog, mister”
that nurse
told him.

He was both wildly furious
and cowed.
He was 36 years old then.
He had such a long way to go
to get

Here.