THE CURIOUS CASE OF DR BARRY

THIS IS A FASCINATING TRUE STORY THAT I HAD TO WRITE ABOUT

THE CURIOUS CASE OF DR JAMES BARRY

 

HE QUALIFIED AS A DOCTOR IN 1812,

BECOMING A SURGEON OF REPUTE;

HE BECAME INSPECTOR GENERAL,

WELL RENOWNED FOR BEING ASTUTE

 

HE WAS AN OFFICER IN THE BRITISH ARMY,

SERVING OVERSEAS AS WELL;

HE OPERATED ON THE WOUNDED;

& GAVE DIGNITY TO ALL THAT FELL

 

HE TREATED NATIVES IN THEIR VILLAGES;

IMPROVING CONDITIONS ALL AROUND;

HE WORKED TIRELESSLY ALL OVER THE GLOBE,

A FINE DOCTOR WHO WAS ETHICALLY BOUND

 

HE IMPROVED SANITORY CONDITIONS FOR LEPERS,

HE FOUGHT FOR BETTER FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE;

HE WAS POSTED TO MANY PLACES NEAR AND FAR

AND UNDERTOOK PROCEDURES FEW WOULD DARE

 

ON 25 JULY 1865 HE DIED IN ENGLAND OF DYSENTRY;

OUTLIVED BY HIS FAITHFUL MAN SERVANT JOHN;

HE WAS PREPARED FOR HIS BURIAL BY A CHAR WOMAN

AND BECAME A RARE CURIOSITY FROM THEN ON

 

THE CURIOUS CASE OF DR BARRY BEGAN TO UNRAVEL

FOR THE BELOVED DR WAS NOT YOUR ORDINARY MAN;

HE WAS ACTUALLY BORN MARGARET ANN BULKLEY;

AND HER PERSONA, A WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN

 

DR BARRY WAS A WOMAN WHO DRESSED AS A MAN,

AN IRISH BORN GIRL WHO CROSS-DRESSED TO SUCCEED;

SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE BORN BRITISH DOCTOR…

HER SEX CONFINED IN LIFE, BUT IN HER DEATH, WAS FREED

Reviews

[emmajoy]

You create such original poems with each of your well known personages and this is no exception. In the past I've wondered why this incredible woman remains generally unknown, her life would make a wonderful stage play or film, Thank you for reminding me of her amazing courage.

Please invite people onto a Friends' list, you need more readers and I'm sure there must be quite a few who'd love to visit you.

[tamsin]

Wonderful poem, and a fantastic story well told.

[Odile RAZAFIMANDIMBY]

Fantastic story. Thank you to let me know who was Dr. Barry. In my country we say that people are really dead when we do not think about them anymore.

[cartera]

Have you never thought about a novel, or a play, around this person; you have have obviously reserched her, and admire her so much, that the pen would flow easily I think.
ATB
Alex.

[Sunni Davis]

I love this! I love learning about history, especially empowering women who did outstanding things. There's a saying..."Well behaved women rarely make history." I think that applies here. Very well written.

[Mark]

We will never know the thousands of brilliant innovations and discoveries voluntarily lost to us by our prosaic attitudes toward sex, particularly women. It is useful to have these cases thrust into our consciousness, but to be able to do so in such lovely verse makes the lesson even more poignant. I aim to examine more of your historically based works, with high anticipation.

[Patient Poet (Yos)]

Very Intersting , thank you for bring it over here , I am sure her memory still live in others hearts . Yossi

[Michael of Gilead]

very interesting story, so i looked it up and it seems as fascinating as unbelievable.

[Emily B]

oh, wow! what an amzing story

[J.V. Stanley]

An amazing poem of epic proportions, and I truly mean that! I love that poetry can tell such a story, that its not necessarily butterflies and rainbows, roses and the such. Poetry invokes such thought and to put a story like this together in a poetic format brings about such meaning to the underlying story in of itself. We can hear in history books facts about people, but to us in certain respects, its simply that...facts. To put it into poetic format brings about the true meaning behind the risk that the woman took and brings to light a lesson we all must learn as well as the honest to God naked truth of our own existence. That sometimes in order to work toward the greater good sacrifices must be made and in this particular doctor's case, sacrificing the identity of her own sex.

Bravo and a job well done here, a fantastic write that truly has depth and meaning on so many levels. Thank you. Shelving this one!

[~Blue Fantasy~]

What a wonderful story!! The way you wrote it was very nice indeed!! Thank you for writing such informational story pieces. Awesome! Loved the ending and so true. It was so hard for women back then ! Thank you for sharing this with me!