IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, 1960

1. Gentle John

never said a word

But peed his pants

the day I turned

a perfect cartwheel

on the bull pen lawn.

2. The Commander

spoke into corners

twitching his hands.

I knew he was Cain

and slipped him a shoestring

we thought was a snake.

3. Max,

a Greek attendant,

my age, knocked me out

when I ran intending to go through him.

I awoke with my own name,

Mac.