Witchdoctors

Witchdoctors

A Poem by S.zaynab.kamoonpury
"

In Africa where I've settled for ages Witchdoctors are highly rampant so I wrote on that

"


The poor child groaned


while his mother moaned


''Ah, he's possessed,


Oh, he's been bewitched'',


Superstition bemoaned

.
To the witchdoctor she sped


and was back with murky potions


such yucky stinky lotions


Those mythical concoctions


The woman obeyed the wily witchdoctor


Placed belief in that traditional healer


and the poor child still groaned


but his mama no longer moaned


After two days of tribal treatment


and no lessening of predicament


she thought he needed something more potent


When all it turned out to be was a toothache dent!


But she would hear of no dentist


Like all quacks her witchdoctor had fooled her five senses


For his spells and his chants


and his mystical dance


held her too in a trance


Quite a weird weirdo is he


Beware the medicine- man!


The devious cunning shaman


Beware that vodoo magic and witchcraft


That so survive on the gullible and the daft.


Yet I was warned to be wary of pharmaceuticals too


They can be harmful chemicals in the long run for you

© 2020 S.zaynab.kamoonpury


Author's Note

S.zaynab.kamoonpury
You can check out the top side pic by clicking on itv to zoom it.

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All cultures, the most primitive to the most advanced, have their "witchdoctors." This poem certainly speaks to that and how we assign credibility and status to those who've convinced us of their healing powers. The US pharmaceutical industry has done this for many years, marketing their pills to the masses. We're now the most medicated country on the planet, and plagued with addiction. Your "warning" is one we should embrace. A powerful write with an important message for all people.

Posted 4 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

barleygirl

4 Years Ago

Amen on your comments about big pharm!
S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Hi poet Ray, yes true all cultures have them, ah yes the pharma is everywhere marketing so many pill.. read more
R.E. Ray

4 Years Ago

You're welcome. Always a pleasure.


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Reviews

The pull of cultural ties, passed down through the ages. Almost brain washing. How do you change the habits of a lifetime? And then pharmaceuticals, not everyone is convinced by their effectiveness. Given the two I know which one I would opt for though. An interesting and well conveyed subject matter Zay Zay.

Chris

Posted 4 Years Ago


Gee

4 Years Ago

I've been told that the only known vaccine for the coronavirus is to go into your local Chinese rest.. read more
Gee

4 Years Ago

luck..lick
Chris Shaw

4 Years Ago

Ha ha Gee, you mischief maker
There are no witch doctors that I am aware of in Canada but people do have many cultural beliefs so I’m sure this can relate anywhere. Some believe wholeheartedly in pharmaceuticals while others do everything in their power to avoid them. As for alternative medicines or herbal remedies - well they can be just as dangerous so what’s a person to do. Can’t we all just be healthy? This was a good read and a nice blend between prose and rhyme :)

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Wow nice to see some commenting without me asking, I usually have to remind to be read in the sea of.. read more
Carolynn

4 Years Ago

Thank you for your wonderful response :)
We have one of these running for president again. Your poem reveals the painful way we watch as the gullible eat up such nonsense as to be stunning in its blatancy. Your writing is a nice blend between being poetic & also using straightforward prose to set a scene in storytelling manner. I like how you toss in some rhyme in a haphazard way (I'm very regimented about rhyme, so I love seeing a poet use it loosely). Even tho this poem seemingly presents the witchdoctor, it also makes us wonder about his followers & the age-old question about how so many people can follow such illogical charlatans (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Oh my who would that be, running for president gah you made me giggle Margie,.
Ah and yeah I.. read more
barleygirl

4 Years Ago

I understand how people might be defensive about home remedies, since there is a powerful force here.. read more
I would imagine the belief in the power of the medicine man is a cultural thing. Mothers instinctively have abiding concern for the welfare of their children. I am sure that the medicine man has built up a self-serving distrust of modern day medicines. In some instances that distrust is well founded , but then ib too many others it worth listening to.
An interesting write. Take care - Dave

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Hi, yeah you are right, such traditional healers practice in many cultures. Self serving distrust ye.. read more
Dave

4 Years Ago

I'm glad you found it worthwhile
Take care - Dave
Interesting you should mention pharmaceuticals after putting down witchdoctors. Many claim that natural medicine is the way to go. Perhaps. But I cannot totally agree that pharmaceuticals are bad either. Yes, they have side effects . . . but so too many illnesses. Thanks for sharing.
T

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Hi , yeahh I'm on many poetry sites and some Americans railed to me about the harms of the big phar.. read more
Healing by Faith or pharmaceuticals? Please take a clear stand, madam :)

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Hmm thevwitchdoctors faith is a wrong faith what with black magic spells and weird rituals and chant.. read more
AJNJ

4 Years Ago

You are welcome :)
We can be bewitched... in a good way also...
depends on the circumstances... your English poetry is well spoken. truly, Pat

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Bewitched by love , that could be good perhaps right? I wish unkind people could be bewitched into g.. read more
they are not only in Africa, but everywhere in this world, the less educated societies have the more amounts and effects of these practices, though I believe in Natural Medicines but not in the way of deceiving people with unbelievable actions. I like the way You ended this one, because as I said I believe in Nature and the Natural Healing. Good write my friend, Thank You for sharing Your experience with us.

Posted 4 Years Ago


S.zaynab.kamoonpury

4 Years Ago

Hi dear friend I wish to be urgently noted that in no way I was criticising natural medicine or herb.. read more
lightsong

4 Years Ago

don't worry my dear, I got and understood what You intended from the first read, that's why I agreed.. read more

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Added on February 28, 2020
Last Updated on February 28, 2020

Author

S.zaynab.kamoonpury
S.zaynab.kamoonpury

About
I like to call myself a poetess even though I'm no professional or conventional at writing poetry. Have been writing poems for some time and readers say they get message and/or entertainment from the.. more..

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