Mental Illness Rides OCTA Bus

If one wants to see the mental care system in operation, merely ride the OCTA

Psyche wards on bus wheels will be on display

Too many riders have all the signs of mental illness that should frighten us

If there were mental health professionals there they would 5150 many and pull them off the bus

In the Golden State there is little if any money for treatment for mental illness so the affected will have to wait

Wandering the streets with their shopping carts doomed by uncaring counties and an uncaring state

Speeding by in cars the rest of us can tunnel vision on the road ahead

So easy to keep the windows up and ignore the problem instead

We may see them but they are invisible to most of us

But up close and personal you cannot escape reality when boarding a bus

But on listening to them shouting at imaginary demons you cannot their plight ignore

Only count the minutes until you are at your stop and can flee through an open bus door

You cannot speak with someone who has retreated into their illusionary world

Only wonder what demons and fantasies in their minds and emotions are swirled

Really sad but until the mentally ill start physically hurting themselves or others near

Zero help and the policies of neglect the state and counties will be their policy to adhere

© August 9, 2017, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 

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