THE LATE DR. J. WARBURTON BEGBIE

Around 1876, Morrell Mackenzie, M.D.,

dedicated THIS VOLUME

of Wood’s Library of Standard Medical Authors

to a fellow Doctor he lost. 

I pity Morrell for his inability to save 

his “loved and lamented” mentor,

with two hands that’d done much saving.

I’m sorry our understanding of medicine was so limited at the time.

It’s been nearly a hundred and fifty years.

My best friend’s mother is in hospice.

When she still had a whisper I heard her say

“I’ve made peace with it. I’m not afraid anymore.”

The Doctor probably made peace too.

History shows making peace is often reserved

for the dying. It’s the living who spend a lifetime

afraid, trying to find it.

Was Morrell afraid? He loved The Doctor enough 

to dedicate his life of research and love 

for medicine in thousands of words, carefully chosen, 

he must have been.

It’s been nearly a hundred and fifty years, 

I am still afraid. I borrow peace from Morrell who I know has found it.

I’ll tell him I needed it. “Love is lamenting.” He’ll be sorry 

to hear that even today he couldn’t have saved

THE LATE DR. J. WARBURTON BEGBIE.