To the Artist's Page                    To our home page

To Melvin Sandberg's previous piece     To Melvin Sandberg's next piece

Doctor Knowitall

The king got down upon his knees,
His subjects cried out, "Help us please!"
Then answering his country's call
Came famous Doctor Knowitall.

"What ails the queen," he asked the king,
Who bowing kissed the doctor's ring.
"She cannot sleep," was the reply;
"Unless she sleeps, we fear she'll die."

"Confronting her mortality,
She hasn't slept for weeks," said he.
And while the country held its breath
The fearless doctor dueled with death.

He stared into death's ghastly eyes,
And really it was no surprise;
The doctor's oath, he'd not betray,
And it was death who turned away.

The doctor shook his wise old head
And made the queen get out of bed.
He found what made her people weep—
A pea had robbed her of her sleep.

The doctor turned now north, now south,
Then popped the pea into his mouth;
"I haven't had my lunch," said he,
And ate the queen-offending pea.

The commonwealth with joy abounds;
They gladly paid a million pounds,
And so ailing queen got well,
Defying death this tale to tell.

To the top of this page