'Young Man on a Bad Trip' by Donal Mahoney

Young Man on a Bad Trip
 
The stench came first,
the young man remembers.
It was as if someone had
grabbed him by the ankles,
turned him upside down
and dunked him in a latrine.
Not good, he says.
 
Then all the hissing
and the forked tongues
only he could see,
flickering as if vipers were
slithering around him.
Very bad.
 
A nurse told him
he was out of it for days,
yelling and cursing
jumping out of bed
running around.
It took three orderlies
to hold him down.
All he remembers is
the stench and hissing.
 
When he came out of it
he thanked a priest
his parents had called
when doctors said they
could only sedate him.
 
The priest came back
the next day and asked
if he wanted to pray.
He told the priest
he didn't believe in God
never mind Satan.
 
The young man said
the problem was a guy
had sold him bad stuff.
Simple as that.
But if it happens again,
he hoped the priest
would come back,
light his candles
and work his magic.
He’d appreciate the help.
 
Donal Mahoney