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If Ever I Had a Country : Xxi and Xxii

IF ever I had a country : XXI - XXII

" I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art. " Excerpted from the translation by Francis Adams in Wikisource of the Oath of Hippocrates, 400 BCE.

                                         XXI

IF ever I had a country
And if ever I were but the Health Minister
And if some breach some tort against The Hippocratic Oath reached my ear
I'd rage and storm through ward portals in Olympian Apollonic gear
To arraign the culprit whether Male Nurse Sister Matron or specialist Doctor
Till no patient need fear contamination poison nor Secret Service murder
That is, if ever I were but the Health Minister
And even if I never ever had no country

                                       XXII

IF ever I had a country
And if ever I were the Health Secretary
And if some sleepless stateless victim of the Secret Police's Third Degree
Was put under Trileptal and made to undergo Tomo-Scintigraphy
And the operators abandoned the patient to general tonico-clonic seizure in epilepsy
I'd either order the hospital closed or put the service heads out-of-activity
That is, if ever I were even the Health Sec in Gay Paree 
And even if I never ever had no country

© T. Wignesan - Paris, July 9, 2018

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Lyric Man Date: 7/9/2018 9:05:00 AM TW.. so glad I came across your terrific poem this morning. Reading poetry gives me life energy. Yours gave me a boost! Login to Reply T Wignesan Date: 7/9/2018 12:54:00 PM Quite frankly, Lyric Man, I don't know what to say, except that I'm beside myself in wondering how some words put together could effect such a reaction. I'm grateful for the comment, of course, and wish you all the very best in your mountain resort in the company of man's best friend: Bo ! Ruffle him up a bit for me, won't ya? There's nothing like a mountain hike with him at your side - I can imagine that!