Reanimated Lavender Granola Switchblade Nun rides again.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Rx

Dr. Figg's wife attacked him with a caduceus--
Dr. Pennington gave him apple cider to counteract moral rot, and tincture of opium for the pain;
Soon Dr. Figg recovered, though he gave up his practice and spent long days sitting in his garden,
Tying sailor's knots.

Dr. Andrews championed luck, even in the most extreme cases--
He instructed his nurse to fold four leaf clovers into the charts of his patients;
Within a week, the files were in perfect order,
Because all of the subjects had died, though it has to be said,
None expired by accident or misadventure.

Dr. Hanley was a student of the four humors--
At night, in his office, he studied black and yellow bile, until it drove him to despair;
Paliative treatments became his specialty,
And in furtherance of this policy, he left revolvers on the examining table pillows,
And bullets in a nearby emesis basin.

In time, Dr. Andrews gave up practice and became a clergyman--
Dr. Hanley an undertaker.
"What ever became of Dr. Figg?" one asked the other at graveside one afternoon;
Unknown to them, he had adopted a life at sea,
Drinking no salt water,
And husbanding a wedge of lime
Below decks,
Next to his harpoon and an ivory comb with a pastoral scene carved into the handle.
_____

This began as a comment I made yesterday at somebody's blog. I decided to expand it here.

16 comments:

  1. This is just awesome! I love the third stanza.

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  2. i guess this makes me kinda pedestrian, but this brought up the movie The Road To Wellville for me. a good association!

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  3. excellent story telling shay...i think i might have settled for the life at sea...i do like my lime...

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  4. Strange that I often find a line to work on hidden in a comment I leave on a poet's blog. i couldn't imagine what the original comment might have been nor the context, but this is untempered baroque in its bizarre story-line and infinite details.

    Such a read.

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  5. I agree with Kerry--quite a tale herein, with your mad steampunk overtones for seasoning. I especially like the Dr. Hanley stanza, though personality-wise, I think I'd feel more comfortable with Figg. Bizarre and imaginative, and infinitely fun to read.

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  6. Again - you have the best imagination.

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  7. This WAS a fun read. (What was the comment that was the springboard? Just nosey.)

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  8. My original comment I worked from is here:

    http://kshawnedgar.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/greeting-card-poetry-week-thursday/

    and the pic is Anthony Edwards in the movie "Northfork", one of my favorites.

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  9. Funny-I read your original comment on kshawnedgar's blog and wondered if you were going to expand upon it when he asked! I left no comment myself, having nothing comparable to follow yours with!

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  10. The study of biles...yes, only Shay could tuck that into a poem and make it perfect.

    Happy New Year, Shay! May 2012 be a beautiful one for you and Bosco.

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  11. Brilliant! Expand away, chica! Happy 2012 to my poet friend! xo

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  12. My Dearest Shaysie
    I know how you hate Haiku
    HA! Happy New Year!

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  13. i don't think i want to go to a doctor now.......


    you are an amazing writer, Shay! i love going on these journeys of your imagination.

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  14. i don't think i want to go to a doctor now.......


    you are an amazing writer, Shay! i love going on these journeys of your imagination.

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Spirit, what do you wish to tell us?