I was in the Library one of those days when I saw a seven stanza poem. For me, it wasn't just a poem, it was a message and I had to write it down.
Today, I will be sharing them and I will talk about each stanza.
1. There was a young man of Back Bay,
Who thought syphilis just went away,
And felt that a chancre,
Was merely a canker,
That went away in a week and a day.
So, there was this young man who definitely had syphilis. However, guess he wasn't very serious about it. I guess he took it so lightly that he was thinking that a chancre (Skin lesion, sometimes associated with certain contagious diseases such as syphilis) was mere a canker (a sore or lesion that usually occurs on the mouth and lips).
This man was having symptoms of Syphilis but because he was not too concerned about his health, he never thought it was it. In fact, most likely, he didn't even seek medical help. Probably, he was even treating it by himself - self medication.
2. Now at first he got acne vulgaris,
The kind that is rampant in Paris,
It covered his skin,
From forehead to shin,
And his friends all ask where his hair is.
Gradually, the lesions worsen. Acne vulgaris is the medical term for the most common type of acne. It's a skin condition that affects the oil glands in the skin, and it usually appears as blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. Acne vulgaris can be caused by a variety of factors, including hormones, bacteria, and certain medications. It's most common in teenagers, but it can affect people of all ages.
It covered his skin, all the way from his forehead to his skin and definitely every of his friends were surprised and they keep asking where his hairs were. Note that as this was happening, he wasn't seeking any medical help.
3. With symptoms increasing in number,
His aorta's in need of a plumber,
His heart is cavorting,
His wife is aborting,
And now he's acquired a gumma.
You know what's happening now? His symptoms begin to increase in number. The aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It's responsible for carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The aorta starts at the top of the heart, where it branches off from the left ventricle. From there, it travels down the chest and abdomen, and then splits into two smaller arteries that carry blood to the legs. The aorta is an important part of the circulatory system, and it plays a vital role in keeping the body functioning properly. Imagine it needing a plumber? Big problem right? Right.
Even his heart is cavorting. That's not even the height of it. Syphilis is a communicable disease and he successfully transmitted it to his wife.Syphilis can cause miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that's caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. If a pregnant woman has syphilis, she can pass the infection to her baby, either during pregnancy or at birth. This can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or low birth weight. If left untreated, syphilis can also cause other serious health problems for the baby, including blindness, deafness, and developmental delays.
He even acquired a gumma, which is a a soft, non-cancerous growth, a form of granuloma, resulting from the tertiary stage of syphilis. Let's continue.
4. Consider his terrible plight,
His eyes won't react to the light,
His hands are apraxic,
His gait is ataxic,
And he's developing gun-barrel sight.
His plight is definitely terrible. His eyes were affected. His hands couldn't be used as they should as there was a loss in motor function of the nerves of his hands. He couldn't even stand well no more. His attention to things dwindle.
5. His passions are strong, as before,
But his penis is flaccid, and sore,
His wife now has tabes
And sabre-shinned babies,
She's really worse off than a whore.
Lol. This one is funny. His passions.. his libido is still as high but his penis is flaccid and sore and cannot function as it should. His wife is developing A kind of slow bodily wasting or emaciating disease, often accompanying a chronic disease. It's known as tabes. The babies.. "Sabre-shinned babies" is a term that refers to babies who are born with bowed legs, also called genu varum. This condition is usually caused by the baby's legs being in a flexed position in the womb, which puts pressure on the leg bones and causes them to bend. Sabre-shinned babies usually outgrow the condition as they grow and their legs straighten out. In some cases, the legs may need to be put in braces or casts to help them straighten out.
6. There are pains in his belly and knees,
His sphincters have gone by degrees,
Paroxysmal incontinence,
With all its concomitants,
Brings on quite unpredictable pees.
Definitely.. there will be excruciating pains in his body. He will definitely experience pains untold which he did. Paroxysmal incontinence, also called "polyuria-polydipsia syndrome," is a condition where a person has episodes of excessive urination and thirst. He now pees uncontrollably.
7. Though treated in every known way,
His spirochetes grow day by day,
He's developed paresis,
Converses with Jesus,
And thinks he's the Queen of the May.
Now, when the problem became worse.. he began to look for medical help and then he was treated in every known way. However, his spirochetes grew day by day. He developed paresis, an Inflammation of the brain as a cause of dementia or paralysis. He then became a prayer warrior as he converses with Jesus. He even thinks he's the Queen of the May.
Note that this is not the explanation from the poet. I do not even know the poet. It's just an explanation of how I understand the poem. And this is the message I am trying to pass across - take care of your health. Seek medical help before diseases worsen as it will be easy for them to be curtailed. If you wait till they worsen, treatment becomes a hill or mountain yo climb.
Cheers to a better health.