The Devil There 1985 Poem by Margaret Alice

Confront the devil there
I tried to say the magic word the magic name of God
I could neither remember nor recite - a cross my single talisman
and survived a night in hell –
how could you lock me up - send me away unidentified?
I told them I was twenty four – they said you don’t even look twenty-one

Then they came, Prof DuPlessis and Tannie Yvonne
identification - from disbelief to open denial
she’s in regression, regressed to the age of three
she can’t do arithmetic - she can’t even knit!
said Tannie Yvonne – she studied philosophy
with German and English and French
she doesn’t knit and never did her arithmetic

Psychologists asked what is twelve times twelve
I couldn’t say - they spoke psychology - I spoke philosophy
how do you feel? - like an Existential-Nihilist
l’étranger en l’enfer – a stranger in hell - a metaphysician

That’s all wrong – don’t prevaricate – how do you FEEL
who is the Queen of Hearts – who the White Rabbit
I couldn’t answer that - I had not identified me
I who strived for accomplishment opened my mind
and found - Nothingness!

Couldn’t think chronologically, couldn’t set priority,
couldn’t act consecutively
then an angel came, an angel called Tannie Yvonne
came every week-end to teach me to knit –
since they insist!