To all the healthcare providers and students of the art Listen to an old man who's been around I've been there when mores fell apart And cared for the wounded when wars were fought I've doctored the hurt and the ill in crowded towns And in jungles and mountain tops I've delivered babies in a hut by candlelight And cared for them after, be they dark or white I've watched people weather the pain of withdrawal Others die of hunger, poverty and denial I've closed wounds with prayer and thread Even leeches and maggots to stop the spread I learned, gained experience and taught All through my lifetime, I've said and shout That we should practice our trade from the heart! And that's what this book is all about.