Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CURE, by J. N. MARR First Line: We'll let some blood,' the doctor said Last Line: "the cure is ""pull their teeth." Subject(s): Healing; Cures | ||||||||
"We'll let some blood," the doctor said, With rest a day or so in bed, The cure I'm sure will be complete And soon he'll be upon his feet -- That up-to-date young med! Oh, barbarous! oh, barbarous! To treat poor ailing mankind thus Two hundred years ago! "We'll pull his teeth," the doctor said, 'Twill ease that throbbing in his head And also quiet down his heart And all those pains that make him start -- That up-to-date young med! Oh, how enlightened and refined To cure the ills of poor mankind In Nineteen Twenty-Eight. For heartache, rheumatics, T.B's, Each known, unknown, or new disease: For fifty-seven dread brands of woe From finger-ache to palsied toe, The cure is "Pull their teeth." Can we by international law, By force of logic, strength of jaw, Since Doctor War should meet his fate And letting blood is out of date And ways of tooth and claw, In some world clinic thus prescribe For every country, nation, tribe Whatever be its ill, For all those dreadful growing pains And fevered thirst for those domains Not theirs by right, a mad desire For places in the sun (or fire?) The cure is "Pull their teeth." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ONE VOLUME MISSING by RITA DOVE READING HOLDERLIN ON THE PATIO WITH THE AID OF A DICTIONARY by RITA DOVE BANGLA DESH: 2. THE BLOOD IN MY EYES by FAIZ AHMED FAIZ VACATION: CALIFORNIA COAST by ALBERT GOLDBARTH FOR MY DAUGHTER by DAVID IGNATOW FOR MY MOTHER ILL by DAVID IGNATOW WITH THE DOOR OPEN by DAVID IGNATOW NOTHING WILL CURE THE SICK LION BUT TO EAT AN APE' by MARIANNE MOORE AN OLD WOMAN: 2. HARVEST by EDITH SITWELL |
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