A Highly Debated Issue - Carolyn Devonshire

A "Highly" Debated Issue From glaucoma to chemotherapy Medical marijuana has its place But you won’t find any prescribed In the conservative Sunshine State Chris couldn’t eat while under treatment Watched him lose one-hundred pounds He had no access to an appetite stimulant His weight was 85 when laid in the ground Hefty Jen had lived a life of kindness Taught spiritually uplifting courses She suffered when chemo raced through her system Until people said, “How beautifully slim her corpse is.” When Dad’s glaucoma grew severe He relied only on eye drops that made him tear His gift of sight was taken slowly Though THC might have helped his eyes clear And when I first wrestled with ulcerative colitis A college friend brought me a joint, said, “Try it” Less than an hour later I was eating without pain But laws are clear, Florida doctors can’t prescribe it Research has proved there are benefits Only medical marijuana use can provide But those who worry about drug abuse Say those who could benefit should be denied Each day in the headlines we read of drunk drivers Mostly teens who seek access through friends And if they want marijuana, they find a way to get it But for those who abide by laws, agony never ends If smoking pot or ingesting a tablet of THC Can help a person who is suffering great pain Don’t you think the time has come To ask prohibitionists to explain Why people who are hurting needlessly Cannot have access to any remedy That soothes their aches, improves their last days Diminishing the symptoms of their tragedy Copyright © Carolyn Devonshire | Year Posted 2010 Why I love C.D’s poem “ A Highly Debated Issue”: Carolyn Devonshire’s poems showcase the extraordinary thoughtful mind behind those lines. All of Carolyn’s poems are profound, and full of depth, but this poem especially touched me - I had the similar experience of losing a beloved one to the deadly disease, and we were not able to give him relief during the last days of intense pain. Carolyn was a strong, sensitive, generous, caring human being and a talented poetess, who loved life in her own way - she loved sand, and left her footprints on the shores of this mysterious earth. Celebrating Carolyn’s poetry: an Uncontest Poetry Contest Sponsor: Andrea Dietrich