Modern Medicine Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

He would, for sheer financial gain
use me, my body, as it lives
when told, he labelled me insane
and that the pills he freely gives
are made available to me
by caring chemists to improve
the functions that were meant to be
homeostasis in the groove.

'Life', so he explained 'is one big risk
and in the end it surely will
within its fateful obelisk
demand assistance from a pill.'

He mentioned that the FDA
was now a giant people's lab
new medicines, (the ones that pay)
were marketed by gift of gab
there really was no need to hide
from God's ineptness in his work
we're all in this, enjoy the ride
the one who doubts is just a jerk.

'A human body can endure
a lot of pain and endless stress,
that's why we do not want to cure,
we love chronicity, no less.

Give fluoride, make the teeth and bones
more brittle and pretend we do
prevent those cavities and stones
in glands with highly toxic brew.

And statins, boy they're selling well,
we use them now for all conditions
when cancer gets you, we will sell
you chemo with its foul renditions.

We want to help each human being
no man shall go without protection,
it is our aim to help in freeing
his mind to see that a selection

of what we have in selfless toil,
in decades of much slavery
discovered and then made of oil
turned down awards of bravery.

As we are all true altruists
with feelings of compassion's best
just think of us, there in the mists
of life's own challenges that test
our fitness to withstand it all.

It is with pride we keep you whole
until the time comes that you fall,
and when you do, it is our role
to battle to your final breath
while mixing fluids that will keep
you looking good beyond your death.
Right by your side, we never sleep.