Poison Girl (Menina Veneno), by the British-Brazilian auteur Ritchie, is the result of his first trip to a hospital in Brazil. Shortly after moving to Brazil in the early 70s, he caught a terrible bout of dermatobiosis, a fly-borne disease commonly known in Brazil as Bern, which required about 2 weeks in a hospital, taking up to seven shots of highly strong psychotropic drugs, usually administered by nurses.
This poem was written about one nurse in particular, Ana Néri, who looked after Ritchie for most of his stay. Having grown in Britain, and thus used to the colder and often aloof nurses of NHS, he confused the openness of Ana with attempts to seduce him. The fact that he was “tripping off his balls” (not my words, but Ana’s technical report), and didn’t speak Portuguese probably helped making things more confusing.
This poem was written about one nurse in particular, Ana Néri, who looked after Ritchie for most of his stay. Having grown in Britain, and thus used to the colder and often aloof nurses of NHS, he confused the openness of Ana with attempts to seduce him. The fact that he was “tripping off his balls” (not my words, but Ana’s technical report), and didn’t speak Portuguese probably helped making things more confusing.
Midnight in my room, she's coming up
I hear the steps in the stairwell, I see the door opening
A meat coloured lamp, blue sheets
Silk curtains, your naked body
Poison girl the world is too small for us both
On every bed I sleep
It's all you
Your green eyes in the mirror
Shine for me
Your whole body is a pleasure
From beginning to yes
Alone in my bedroom
I wake up without you
I talk to the walls
Until nightfall
Poison Girl
You’ve got a serene way of being
Every night, in my bedroom
You come to drug me
Drug me
Poison Girl
The world is too small for us both
For us both
In every bed I sleep
It’s all you
Midnight in my room
She’ll emerge
I hear the steps behind the door
I see the door opening
You come from God-knows-where
I know, come to love me
I don’t even know your name
But I don’t even have to call you
Poison girl
You’ve got a serene way of being
Every night in my bedroom
You come to drug me
Drug me
Poison Girl
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