They work with herbs and penicillin.
They work with gentlenessand the scalpel.
They dig out the cancer,
close an incisionand say a prayerto the poverty of the skin.
They are not Godst
hough they would like to be;
they are only humantrying to fix up a human.
Many humans die.
They die like the tender,
palpitating berriesin November.
But all along the doctors remember:First do no harm.
They would kiss if it would heal.
It would not heal.
If the doctors cure
then the sun sees it.
If the doctors kill
then the earth hides it.
The doctors should fear arrogance
more than cardiac arrest.
If they are too proud, and some are,
then they leave home on horseback
but God returns them on foot.
They work with gentlenessand the scalpel.
They dig out the cancer,
close an incisionand say a prayerto the poverty of the skin.
They are not Godst
hough they would like to be;
they are only humantrying to fix up a human.
Many humans die.
They die like the tender,
palpitating berriesin November.
But all along the doctors remember:First do no harm.
They would kiss if it would heal.
It would not heal.
If the doctors cure
then the sun sees it.
If the doctors kill
then the earth hides it.
The doctors should fear arrogance
more than cardiac arrest.
If they are too proud, and some are,
then they leave home on horseback
but God returns them on foot.
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