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crazy

Crazy? Naw, he wasn't crazy,

not like these fools

slobbering, docile puppies

in shit-stained pajamas. . .

 

they were nuts, not him.

 

Wasn't a damned thing

wrong with his head-

 

neither one, wanna see?

 

Big Nurse' sardonic smile;

a plastic mask of red-orange lipstick;

cut a violent line into caked indifference.

 

Her response is a dispassionate laugh;

a cold clang of iron no one else dares,

no way to satisify deluded hostility

needles often are mightier than a sword

certainly less messy.

 

Straight into the hip so doctors don't detect

hooded, shameful glares emerge from murky depths

of stone-cold sedation.

 

they scatter, obedient, demure cockroaches,

no emotion because none belongs here.

 

Good because she could care less for these fools,

with squints suspended through chain-rings of smoke-

muttering to themselves, heavy doses sometimes takes days

to wear off-

 

but oh, he's dangerous, that one

swaggers is if a Greek god on majestic Olympus,

struts as if he owns the place

doesn't care for the word no, either-

 

so charts are checked,

she scribbles notes emphatically,

 

humiliation will break him; so she

vows to crush the arrogant ass;

make no mistake, it will be merciless.

 

Her facade dictates civility-

 

only he's crazy enough to believe

he isn't crazy,

 

just along for the ride,

aint that right, boys?

 

She wants him, he's sure of it-

silent nods leveled his general direction-

ohyes, she'll appreciate a winning charm

as only he knows how...

 

and he needs nothing more

than his bare hands. 

Author notes

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest-the novel. I tried to expose the dynamic between Nurse Ratched and RP McMurphy.
I'll probably change it four hundred times, so if you want unpolished, here you go.

A contest entry

if you have a suggestion, that would be wonderful...

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Comments

1 - 21 of 21

  • Night Hope gold member
    November 8
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    This is an amazingly accurate adaptation of the novel, Jin. What a creepy movie that was, too. I got to where I couldn't stand Louise Fletcher after she performed that role so convincingly. Kinda like I couldn't tolerate Bruce Dern after he shot John Wayne in "The Cowboys". This is a stark look behind those gray, peeling walls. I'm glad I'm on this side of 'em (looking to make sure). Good luck in Laura's contest, Sweetie.



    • JinSays gold member
      November 8
      Edit | Reply
      I love the movie, and have it in my collection. I recently read Kesey's novel-and what a difference fromthe movie! First of all, the narrative is told by Chief, who is deaf and dumb in the cinematic version-second, Big Nurse is much more evil, diabolical-the movie just grazes the surface of her depravity. I agree with you on Fletcher's role-was talking to someone else about that-never liked her after the movie-but I despise her so much more now.
      Kesey was an amazing writer, I plan to read a few more from him, after I finish the books of poetry by Ted Hughes, and T.S. ELiot.
      Thanks for the comment. I really wasnt looking to do a synapsis, just happened.


      • Night Hope gold member
        November 8

        Edit | Reply

        "Brainstorm" is one of the very few films I actually liked her in. She's one of those people you love to hate and I think she chooses her parts wisely. It just makes me a bit uncomfortable when people play those sort of roles so well.


        • JinSays gold member
          November 8

          Edit | Reply
          Luis Alberto Urrea. write his name down. he's a professor at some university (Chicago, I think). Hummingbird's Daughter, Six Kinds of Sky, Across the Wire. now I'm reading The Devil's Highway-
          his prose is comparable to that of Oscar Wilde, spectacular.

          Fletcher was in Brainstorm? I need to watch it again, don't even remember the premise. I hate that I have crossed her over to the book, because really-they're so different. Nobody could pull off that evil stare like she could, I don't think. She's definitely someone I love to hate, poor lady.
          Its not even her.
          She must've known the job was dangerous when she took it.


          • Night Hope gold member
            November 8
            Edit | Reply

            Here's a link to a beautiful poem he wrote, as well as several other links, including his own. I think I shall have to do a column on him, as well. Thank you for the nudge yet again, Sweetie.

            "Walking Backward in the Dark"

            by Luis Alberto Urrea

            Ok, the direct link to it won't work. Just click on the wickipedia link, then click on "poetry". It will come up with an active link and take you to the piece. It was published in the "Virginia Quarterly Review" in Spring 2007.

            www.luisurrea.com/home.php

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu%C3%ADs_Alberto_Urrea


          • Night Hope gold member
            November 8
            Edit | Reply

            Yeah, she played the lady that was friends with Christopher Walken's and Natalie Wood's characters, the one who had a stroke or heart attack while she was working on the project - they manipulated brain waves to simulate memories - even those people hadn't had. Remember the science fella with the sex fantasies that couldn't unhook himself from the machine? He's such a guy. Cool. Thanks for reminding me of his name. I believe I've read something of his before, a long time ago. The name sounded familiar to me when you did the hummingbird contest.


  • Ani Grace
    November 7

    Edit | Reply

    Genius vs. Insanity

    This is the most vivid condensed version of that novel that I've ever had the pleasure of reading...I didn't check the notes until I had finished reading it, but McMurphy was whispering the words as I read. An incredible work of art, to bring the reader home before the destination is known.
    I am enjoying your work immensely, and anticipating much more... that Jini can't stay in the bottle for long...lol


    • JinSays gold member
      November 7
      Edit | Reply
      that's a most amazing comment, now my head is swimming in the clouds. thank you


  • CaliOkie silver member
    November 3

    Edit | Reply
    As in the novel we must always ask "which side of the nurses station window does the nurse belong on?" I once knew a nurse like this who looked and acted so much like one of our "regular" clients that we used to refer to them as twins. Always, we applied the "half-staff" rule . . . if the client was functioning higher than half of our staff, they were ready to go home . . . which wasn't always saying much!

    Excellent . . . and so very right on. I've known those people who "forget" to document what were often referred to as "chemical restraints." Of course, it is always for the client's good . . . of course.

    Good luck on the contest.

    Garrison


  • Pure Thought silver member
    November 2

    Edit | Reply
    I think this is a perfect picture of me... if they ever catch on I should be in there and not here.
    Well cooked gray matter here. Like it.


  • awannabepoet
    November 2

    Edit | Reply
    It was a very good movie never did read the novel mind you but you did a great poem here.

    Excellent read Jin.


  • PurpleAraucana
    November 2

    Edit | Reply
    one of my favorite novels.
    insanity is always so much more interesting than sane...

    fell in love with jack in that movie;
    what woman wouldn't?

    "There wasn't a damned thing
    wrong with his head
    neither one, wanna see?"

    "...a shiny mask of red-orange lipstick;
    with violent lines cut in caked indifference..."

    "...needles are often mightier than a sword..."


    perfection in those lines.



    a very good poem.


  • Thomas Scott gold member
    November 2

    Edit | Reply
    Engaging read.
    Go ahead, fiddle with it, but if at the end of editing and tinkering, diddling and tweaking you don't like the result, be sure your saved this draft.
    Good stuff.

    Tom


  • Cannonsfire
    November 1

    Edit | Reply
    Don't you change it 400 times or I will come back and slap you again!!! But...you need a comma after 'marked' before 'notes made' and you have left out a space between 'break him'
    Apart from that I can see the Kesey novel you started to read again while I was there has had a profound affect, I likes it C


  • Disturbed Prodigy
    November 1

    Edit | Reply
    i don't know what to say about this one but i think this was something golden, i mean this was good, i loved it, keep it flowing


  • Amera gold member
    November 1

    Edit | Reply
    What a fun read! Fun? Well... this is like the hospital from hell. It's brilliant!

    Love,
    Amera


  • fortyninereasons gold member
    November 1

    Edit | Reply
    if you have a suggestion, that would be wonderful...

    how about writing some words, hmmmm
    will bookmark so it doesn't get lost


  • Laura Lamarca gold member
    October 31

    Edit | Reply
    Anything. (just not sex, cos i'm underage)


    • ZachP silver member
      October 31
      Edit | Reply
      I think for some of the stuff I've seen on this site, even God is underage

1 - 21 of 21