As I Lay Dying

From our 19th century historian Eudora Dickinson:

Emmett Lee Dickinson’s mother, Emalee Incross Dickinson, was a cosmetician at the Perish & Begone Funeral Parlor, owned by brothers Eberhard and Egan Perish and Caldwell Begone.  For a short time, Emmett Lee worked there as a cadaver model for his mother, so he saw firsthand what lack of health insurance meant for the citizens of his hometown, Washerst, PA.
 
Later in life, he wrote a poem about his experience called “Health insurance is counted sweetest” (below on the left), and it is very germane in a day and age when the GOP is currently working to deny health insurance to millions of Americans.
 
Dickinson’s poem also inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “Success is counted sweetest” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
Health insurance is counted sweetest
By those who have health insurance.
To comprehend full coverage
Requires sorest need.
 
Not one of all the GOP
Who took Health Insurance away
Can tell the definition
So clear of coverage,
 
As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of debt collectors
Break, agonized and clear.
​

By Emily Dickinson:
 
Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag to-day
Can tell the definition,
So clear, of victory,

As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Break, agonized and clear.
​

Above:  Pence and Ryan prepare to pull the plug on another American who doesn't deserve health care.