Witchdoctors

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

Author's Note

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

Reviews

[R.E. Ray]

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.

[barleygirl]

Amen on your comments about big pharm!

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Hi poet Ray, yes true all cultures have them, ah yes the pharma is everywhere marketing so many pills some with strong side effects, once I read of the side effects for a med I was prescribed for flu and when it said death was one of the side effects I didn't take it, I took home remedies and recovered.
Thanks soo much for your super great thoughts on this , your comment is a worthwhile read for all,. Cheers!

[R.E. Ray]

You're welcome. Always a pleasure.

[Clif]

Like Shamans in Native American lore. They involve in witchcraft, shapeshifters, skinwalkers (like werewolves) and wendigo, which are demon spirits that possess people.

[Poetic Beauty]

Ahh yes we have to be our own advocate when it comes to medical treatment of any kind. Sometimes traditional medicine is the way to go and sometimes homeopathic is the way to go but do your own research

[Dave Brown]

Dealing with medicines and doctors is a time-honored tradition
Who knows, possibly that witch doctor had a reasonable amount of success just because of her power of will
The face mask is the big question mark now
Wonder what the witch doctor feels about them
Real good write

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Witch doctors don't succeed in treating with their chants and spells but sometimes they become herbalists then herbs do treat things.
Face masks not related to this topic but they are very efficient in prevenibg spread of pandemic. Even our face veils serve the same purpose.
Thanks so much for comment on my oldie poem.

[Dennis Shanaberg]

Really appreciate the sentiment of this. Shows much of the foolishness and hypocrisy that exists these days. A really well written modern day parable

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

I'm glad you like this and realise the ignorance , which is present among followers of witch doctors but aleopathc docs and medics can be hypocrites and guilty of malpractice too. Thanks so much !

[Robert Trakofler]

many forms of witch doctors exist Zaynab in the states people still believe that vaccinations cause all sorts of maladies the group actually paid a very reputable scientific organization to do a full blown medical study to prove them right and because the study is unbiased the results were honest and the results were negative and the silly group refused to publish the results:) The point being they created this belief that vaccinations caused autism and it was widely spread and believed so now we are seeing a resurgence in those diseases because so many people refused to VAX their children and the "Cure" from autism has caused more sickness. Irony of ironies:( lack of education and perpetuation of... is the culprit of all sorts of ill health be it a witch doctor or a charlatan the most important ingredient is ignorance

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Woah that's really disturbing, though I can't fully trust the big pharma completely, some things do get cured by herbal home remedies. But the quacks you are right are untrustworthy as well. Thanks for a great interesting comment, we learn from each other. Cheers!

[Neville]

an intriguing poem indeed..

I have previously worked in a West African Psychiatric Hospital and many of the patients feared western treatment far more than some of the stuff I prescribed (although I must add, much of the medication that got to the hospital was often old and out of date donated stuff).. it also tended to have unpleasant side effects.. Many of my patients looked forward to and responded better to the twice weekly visits by the local witchdoctor or medicine man...

I learnt a lot about faith and different cultures during my times there.....

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Yayy that is very interesting, and nice to know you are a doctor and a traveled poet! I was born in west Africa Nigeria. Still in Africa but now settled in East Africa, Tanzania . Medicine men are still common here and some get really trusted,. Home and tribal remedies are good but the spells and magic potions wreak havoc and harm.
Thanks soo much learned poet!

[Chris]

Neat view...

Belief IS in the eyes of the patient... whether given a placebo or an herb potion, an antibiotic, even an FDA-approved drug. Showmanship counts... coat and tie, lab coat, scrubs, even shaman's trappings have expectations.

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Thanks soo much for your wise great thoughts, you have a splendid thinkers outlook on things, it's an honour to read your words. Cheers!

[Fabian G. Franklin]

What a wonderful ode to the quacks. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Hi, thanks soo much for the review, I'm super glad you enjoyed this . The quacks are everywhere so all be wary yeahh. Cheers!
And now I'm curious to read your Inkings as well.

[NotUsinganymore]

Very interesting poem and it's still a thing that is continued in many countries.

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Ah yes it's still practiced. Warmest thanks for nice comment, will pop in to yours soon too.

[NotUsinganymore]

Thank you. PLease review my poems c: