Article: 178425 of talk.bizarre
From: gaillard@panix.com (Ed Gaillard)
Newsgroups: talk.bizarre
Subject: snake oil
Date: 1 Dec 1994 01:45:59 -0500
Organization: Putting the Ding in the _Ding an sich_
Lines: 20
Message-ID: <3bjrf7$11h@panix.com>
Keywords: poem sonnet
Status: O


and if i left the poison in your veins,
perhaps that would be better than the leeches
draining the tainted blood before it reaches
your heart -- torment, to save what you disdain.

the best medicine might be to abstain:
ignore all these pious consoling speeches
from a stoic who can't practice what he preaches --
placebos for the drug to ease your pain.

i pray you'll judge me on what i've tried to do,
not the results.  i feel the soothing balms
i give you sting instead, and wince with you,
and search my bag of words for some new charm,
and wonder if old Hippocrates knew
what a hard thing he asked:  "first, do no harm."


-ed g.