Medicine

Or,

anything that makes you well again. Like

seeing your cousin on TV

or watching the one legged man

run in the marathon. Sometimes i'm frightened

by the very thought of loosing you

then you come riding on a dream and by then

i'm standing next to the nightstand, my hair

a load

of twisted Black glass like those

glossy pictures of the 60's Militants. We pretended

revolution

with you playing the part of Patty Hearst and me

with nothing but fingertips, maple seeds and

ring-wormed stocking caps. Drew

our light arms against the enemies of treason

and when, just the other day, I thought about this,

I got afraid all over.

What if someone was hurt or crippled and couldn't

get to their feet when the fires  of age came to

destroy us. What if there

weren't medicine enough?

Reviews

[Ed Hart]

i would like to say that there's medicine enough...it's the 'effects' that help cover the symptoms, and sometimes are a big help, even a cure...but like everything in the marketable universe, medicines have metastasized into the bizarre ointments that come with 30 seconds of disclaimer in a 50 second add that finally suggests you annoy your doctor for his or her opinion...anyhow, that's ancillary to the heart of your words which in all innocence shines the light on unity

[h d e rushin]

thank you dear brother.....dana

[Ken Simm.]

I suppose apropos but I have just been reading about Detroit. (Specifically about the failed and unpleasant, in many ways Henry Ford). This however could be dated or geographically positioned anywhere in the western industrial world. This strikes me always about your work (and make no bones about it you are one of my few favourite writers). You can place thoughts and the most intimate feelings into minds and I don't just mean your characters.
You know what this reminds me of if an very strange way; Molly Blooms soliloquy from Ulysses. I know its a jump but it just does. That in no way distracts from my joy in reading such stuff. Brilliant is the word.

[h d e rushin]

thank you my dear friend....I still poke my head in here on occasion ..dana

[Emily B]

there will always be medicine as long as poetry is allowed to fly

[h d e rushin]

thank you my love for those kind remarks...Missed you terribly....dana

[Emily B]

Internet is fixed. I should have more time now

[RomaJ]

I grew up believing laughter was the best medicine, and seeing beauty in all things was the best cure for the sick world we live in; with so much war and ugliness. One has to question, why is it ugly and how did it get that way? How do we fix it? prevent it? They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But I guess, one has to want to be cured...or want to prevent it...With all the power struggles going on in this world- nations at war, and the list goes on and on...I still believe that. It's doesn't hurt not to...but it is a scary world now. I had dreams of traveling the world. Not so much now. I've become terrified of flying on an airplane! I'd rather drive everywhere. If I can't drive, then I won't go. I enjoyed reading this. I found it a very thought-provoking piece.

[W.k.kortas]

When we were children, there was always mercurochome or Vicks' Vapor Rub, and when we were in our twenties, we could fix everything by sheer force of will or conviction, and now we have learned the horrible secret of our parents, that there were things that were beyond fixing by medicine or manhood. But you know that, obviously.

[h d e rushin]

so true...Castor oil, allum&honey, and sulfur....If these three remedies didn't fix it your a*s was beyond fixing...."Vicks' Vopor Rub".....now that's something from the past.....Thanks wk....dana

[Beccy]

I doubt there ever will be enough 'medicine'; and even it come to it that there is, mankind will invent another disease.

Beccy.

PS. Re: ringworm, my mother always cautioned us never to let pets lick our faces; good advice I suppose, but it never stopped us though. There is nothing a child adores more than a beautiful little puppy showing its love and affection :))

[h d e rushin]

some folk don't remember ringworm....I mean where it came from and how it did poor folk..
Thanks Beccy for remembering with me....dana

[Calamityofgin]

I like this..a lot. A few places i was comfused..but didnt mind over all.. A unique voice and piece of poetry.
Whats a ring worm hat? Very curios.

Well done.

Love and wishes for no need of

[h d e rushin]

when I was little and from a very poor family, the ring worm was spread among school children
and the only home remedy was a hat made of my mothers nylon stocking with a knot at the end,
filled with sulfur. Thank you Calamityofgin for those kind words, and I do hope that explanation helps.....love...dana

[Calamityofgin]

Ahh!! I know what ring worm is...you can get it whatever
Kind of money you make. Its a fungus. Scaley often in its name sake round on your skin..can be under both toe and finger nails..and scalp..dry patches. Very contagious, and treated well by antibacterial cream FYI. Have had it.

At any rate...dig your voice young lady. It didnt matter that i had no clue as to what you were refering to a lot of the time...i did enjoy it.

Guess its about seeing hard ships and being at a loss as to how to fix them.

[Calamityofgin]

In my opinion
.the close was my favorite part. I got it then. Well done.

[Abhra]

This is a spectacular poem! you have an incredible voice! i am completely bowled out by your poetry!! However, I was a much louder closing. The rest of it so incredible, the ending although nice falls a little, in my opinion. great work!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

in the sixties our medicine was the movement and feeling part of it, alive...but then we grew older...no medicine can help with that....and now i am afraid...i look at the world as is...i am afraid...

i don't know that we can get to our feet...i thought we weren't pretending back then....now i wonder...your poem speaks of that...

what was it all for?