ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Wow! Excellent poem about Salk and Sabin, Stephen - and thank you so much for checking out my website. I guess the right thing to do would be to share my poem about Sister Kenny ... whose pioneering treatment (as you know) predated the invention of the oral and injected vaccines. It's still controversial, but you have to admire her "Courage of Conviction" in the face of much opposition.

I hope my poem is a fitting companion to your tribute to Salk and Sabin.

Courage of Conviction
(c) Shelley Hansen 2012

Imposing figure, snow-white hair,
with gentleness she voiced her care,
till all at once with flashing eyes
old methods she would criticise.
Upon the Darling Downs, by horse
the young nurse rode a well-worn course,
providing service without fee -
responding to each patient's plea.

Quite suddenly, a new disease
caused young and healthy limbs to freeze.
The doctors did the best they could
with standard treatments ... bad and good.
She questioned teachings of the day
and dared to try another way
with heat and movement therapy
to set imprisoned bodies free.

They scoffed with scorn. What would she know
about the curse of polio?
So medical opinion raged
about the methods she'd engaged.
But passionately she believed
and challenged theories they'd conceived.
She battled on, although she knew
supporters of her cause were few.

With grateful patients' full support
a ticket overseas was bought.
In England and the USA
she put her treatments on display.
Though honoured all around the world,
at home no banners were unfurled
commemorating her return ...
unwilling still, to hear and learn.

The years passed by. She never changed,
as with the doctors she exchanged
opposing views, afraid of none -
her head held high for what she'd done.
It came about as she grew old
that Parkinson's Disease took hold.
How sad that she herself should be
imprisoned by rigidity.

Unorthodox she may have been
but from her work results were seen -
until at last, vaccines made sure
that polio afflicts no more.
In nursing's grand tradition she
engraved a lasting legacy.
Relentlessly she fought the tide ...
and we remember her with pride.

Hi Shelley,

I moved your poem - for several reasons. Firstly it deserves a post and comments of its own. You have linked it Stephen's poem by your opening comments so the two can be connected. Secondly, it has always been forum etiquette not to hog the thread of someone else. Thirdly, if anyone in the future is looking for "that poem" they knew Shelley wrote about Sister Kenny, they will never find it by searching amongst Shelley's poems - because it is lost in amongst Stephen's posts. It will get lost in the mists of time. It's just house keeping.

Heather

Hi Heather

Thanks for the clarification, and no problem. I certainly wasn't trying to "hog" Stephen's post - quite the reverse - I was hoping to complement it, always intending my poem to be second to his. I thought putting mine up as a separate thread might seem like I was trying to be in competition with him, which was far from my intention.

But I see your point and I certainly am happy to abide by Forum rules and etiquette.

Thanks for your diligence

Cheers
Shelley

Our Heather is a good little housekeeper and of course that makes perfect sense as well.

I like your poem Shelley, but I do have rather a penchant for historical type poetry - always reckon our kids would learn history so much more easily were it presented in such a manner. This is a perfect compliment IMO to Stephens poem

"hog" isn't really the word I was looking for Shelley, but i was tired and the thesaurus wasn't to hand! Still tired, it's been a big week and it's only Monday!

Heather

The word is " upstage "

Nah better then that I fixed it for ya.


Bob

There were so many who fell victim to polio through that era Shelly and some of my rellies were treated by sister Kenny.


Merv.