“Hear ye, hear ye!

I have arrived!”

cried the grand old medicine man

from the seat of his wagon.

_Clip clop, clip clop_

went the horse’s hooves

across cobblestone roads.

Townsfolk emerged from each

building he passed

summoned by his cries

and constant barrage of his bell.

“I have come from afar,

I have traversed the whole globe,

I bring spices and ointments

to heal illness and wounds!”

Excitement rang true

through Victorian streets;

the grand old medicine man

has returned from the East!

He leapt off his carriage

which slowed to a halt,

with his many colorful capes

whipping about.

As folks gathered ‘round,

he flipped a switch on his wagon;

it burst open,

revealing shelf upon shelf of

mysterious powders and liquids!

“I have a gimp leg,” said Harold the blacksmith;

the grand old medicine man replied,

“For that I have a cure!

Purest ground fairy wing

from the forests of Asia!”

Dramatically,

he twirled around,

extending a hand

and procuring a single glass bottle

from the bottommost shelf.

“Thank you!

Oh, thank you,

bless you kind sir!”

sang Harold,

sure he had finally found a cure.

“Who’s next?”

Young Emma, fair-skinned and freckled

stepped forward and hollered,

“Sir, please,

I have horrible pains

in my cheeks!”

“Ah yes!” cried the man,

“I have just what you need!

Ancient liquified bone

will soothe your sinus bleed!”

“And for me?”

said Jerimiah,

the town’s only leper.

“Leprosy, yes!

I shall transform you today!

A small bit of this thistle

ground to a paste!”

With everyone healed,

the crowd now dispersed.

The grand old medicine man

got in his carriage,

and galloped away.

Grinning from ear to ear,

with a snakish expression,

the grand old medicine man cheered:

“Soon, they’ll all be in Heaven!”