The poet William Stafford set himself the task of writing a poem a day. When someone asked him what he would do when his poem-of-the-day wasn't very good, he replied "I simply lower my standards." In order to increase output, the bar here is set at a low level - the point of this is to have some fun with current events and politics. I welcome contributions and comments. Now you can also follow Doggerelo on Twitter (@doggerelo). Because of continuing medical problems, I'm no longer able to post a poem-a-day. I'll continue to post poems, but at a reduced frequency, so please stay tuned.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Don't Euthanize Me!

In the Netherlands, doctor-assisted euthanasia, if requested by the patient, was legalized in 2002.  Recently, Presidential candidate Rick Santorum made the following comments on this issue:

“They have voluntary euthanasia in the Netherlands, but half the people who are euthanized every year, and it’s 10 percent of all deaths, half of those people are euthanized involuntarily in hospitals, because they are older and sick…So elderly people in the Netherlands don’t go to the hospital. They go to another country. Because they’re afraid because of budget purposes they will not come out of that hospital if they go in with sickness.” Santorum also said some Dutch wear bracelets saying, “Don’t euthanize me.”

Each of these statements has been sharply disputed or shown to be false.


I may be old but I want to live
So Hans, don’t euthanize me.
To the world, I’ve still got things to give
So Hans, just let me be.

Don’t make me sleep and never awaken
Please Hans, don’t euthanize me.
I still want to smell that morning bacon
So Hans, just let me be.

You can see what I’ve got on my brace-
Let, Hans: “Don’t euthanize me”
I still want life’s gifts in my embrace
So Hans, just let me be.

When sick, I avoid a doctor that’s Dutch
Doc Hans, don’t euthanize me
Even sick, I enjoy life very much
So Hans, just let me be.

We Dutch need a leader like Rick to say:
Stop Hans, don’t euthanize us.
Let the old folks live for another day
So Hans, be magnanimous.

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