Friday, February 24, 2012

Blood Work


   Doctor Charles Drew
   swam against the current
   when he first banked blood

   The Red Cross
   was at cross purposes
   with the  business of
   saving lives

   They forgot
   (or pretended not to know)
   that blood cells
   are red and white,
   not black and white

   The job at hand is to transfuse
   blood not bigotry



Dr. Charles R. Drew was an African-American doctor who developed methods for blood storage and transfusions in the 1930's.  He was an outstanding person in many areas, and well worth reading more about.  One place to start is The Black Inventor Museum.  And these 55 words about him are for G-Man.

23 comments:

  1. Wonderful, powerful wordplay and metaphors, Mary. I agree wholeheartedly.

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  2. Mary Bach...
    Shame on you for posting this late.
    Because everyone needed to read this!!
    I love historical 55's
    Your's was one of today's best!
    Very very well written...
    Thanks for this little Gem, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

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  3. What a wonderful 55! This has been History Friday for me! Seldom is anything black and white. Thank you for a thoughtful and thought-provoking story.

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  4. Through grand history into your 55
    Never knew that at my hive

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  5. nice...perfect for the month when we celebrate african american history...and to think of how we once viewed them...and what we would have missed...

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  6. Well worth saying, Mary. And very well said.

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  7. Nice, Mary. Thank you for adding the note.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Ayala. I thought without that note might be helpful. He has a remarkable career, especially considering the times.

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  8. Cleverly constructed, Mary.. very much enjoyed the message. Red and white not black and white.. :)

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  9. Thanks for info and poem. Such a good 55.

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  10. The title made me this of some period "art" work I saw in the city. It took me 10 minutes to figure out what they meant by period art work...it looked reddish, copper, a bit of brown...oh...nevermind.

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    Replies
    1. Oh yikes! hahaha, now that's what I call really putting yourself into your art!

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