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

Copyright © | Year Posted 2021



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Date: 9/22/2021 3:38:00 AM
Yes Mala,she left long lasting footprints here
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Date: 9/19/2021 10:15:00 AM
Malabika, thanks so much for showing this poem in which Carolyn shows her practical side. I recall our conversations about medical marijuana and how she was enjoying its benefits from the doctor she saw several years ago. I remember her recommending to me the type of marijuana that is sold in health stores.I even tried it myself for my sleep but it never worked for me that way it had worked for Carolyn (I think she used it for insomnia too) Thanks for sharing.
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Date: 9/4/2021 5:43:00 PM
Beautiful tribute to Carolyn in her own poem. Thanks, Malabika.
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Ray Choudhury Avatar
Malabika Ray Choudhury
Date: 9/4/2021 5:51:00 PM
Thanks, Milton. She was an exceptional person and a gifted poet.
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