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OUR FATHERS OF OLD
EXCELLENT herbs had our fathers of old -
Excellent herbs to ease their pain -
Alexanders and Marigold,
Eyebright, Orris, and Elecampane -
Basil, Rocket, Valerian, Rue,
(Almost singing themselves they run)
Vervain, Dittany, Call-me-to-you-
Cowslip, Melitot, Rose of the Sun,
Anything green that grew out of the mould
Was an excellent herb to our fathers of old.
Wonderful tales had our fathers of old -
Wonderful tales of the herbs and the stars -
The Sun was Lord of the Marigold,
Basil and Rocket belonged to Mars.
Pat as a sum in division it goes -
(Every herb had a planet bespoke) -
Who but Venus should govern the Rose ? Who but Jupiter own the Oak ?
Simply and gravely the facts are told
In the wonderful books of our fathers of old.
Wonderful little when all is said,
Wonderful little our fathers knew.
Half their remedies cured you dead -
Most of their teaching was quite untrue -
"Look at the stars when a patient is ill
(Dirt has nothing to do with disease),
Bleed and blister as much as you will,
Blister and bleed him as oft as you please."
Whence enormous and manifold
Errors were made by our fathers of old.
Yet when the sickness was sore in the land,
And neither planets nor herbs assuaged
They took their lives in their lancet-hand
And, oh, what a wonderful war they waged !
Yes, when the crosses were chalked on the door -
(Yes when the terrible death-cart rolled!),
Excellent courage our fathers bore -
Excellent heart had our fathers of old.
None too learned but nobly bold
Into the fight went our fathers of old.
If it be certain, as Galen says -
And sage Hippocrates holds as much -
"That those afflicted by doubts and dismays
Are mightily helped by a dead man's touch,"
Then be good to us, stars above !
Then be good to us, herbs below !
We are afflicted by what we can prove,
We are distracted by what we know.
So - ah, so!
Down from your heaven or up from your mould,
Send us the hearts of our fathers of old !
4 comentarii :
Superba poezie !
Kipling a avut o tragedie personală - unicul fiu i-a murit în primul război mondial. S-a înrolat voluntar, deşi nu îndeplinea standardele (avea miopie).
Asta, în urma discursurilor lui Kipling care criticau pe cei care se sustrăgeau. A fost şi un film pe tema asta - My Boy Jack:
"Have you news of my boy Jack?
Not this tide.
When dyou think that hell come back?
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
Has any one else had word of him?
Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?
None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind —
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.
Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!"
-My Boy Jack by Rudyard Kipling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Db8zOE8jCE
Ce poate fi mai rau pe lumea asta decat sa-ti vezi copilul ca moare sau ca e grav bolnav ?
Mai avea o fată, mi-am amintit după ce am văzut clipul. Filmul a fost dat la TV acum câţiva ani.
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