POEM FOR DR PAUL KATZ, (ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, EASTERN HEALTH, VICTORIA)

JE SUIS GARTH

KATZIFIED

(History of Garth Daniels)

Garth Daniels is a patient held involuntarily under the umbrella of Eastern Health, Victoria, Australia. Assoc. Professor Paul Katz is the remote overseer of Garth’s treatment for mental illness.  

I write to you Doctor, ‘bout Garth’s growing history,

You don’t seem to know what to do with this man,

Why do you keep him locked up in that hell hole?

When others less noted, could deal with this fast,

Amsulpride, Clozapine, all of them wannabe’s,

Which is the tablet you think is the best,

All in the press told as perfect distractions,

Just like we see you are doing to Garth,

Running a current of harmful ‘lectricity,

Right through his brain, at least two times a week,

Don’t know your reason, and nothing is changing,

‘xept Garth seems confused more than ever before,

You say it’s depression, and gave him Amsulpride,

And now that he’s calmer, you say ‘not that one,’

Juggling pill boxes, taking your chances,

Clozapine comes with the roll of your dice,

Clozapine,’ shortens the life of its victims,

Not one I’d choose, as it weakens the heart,

An ‘odlie,’ but ‘badie,’ maligned by the doctors,

Unlikely to calm, this poor tortured soul,

You go on regardless not knowing your subject,

Fumbling around like a snail in the dark.

Who would depend on an amateur fumbler,

Aiming to get, yes: the big floppy hat,

Not a professor; not likely to be one,

You have to have talent to stand on the stage,

Knowing each moment ‘The Katz,’ is a prowling.

Everyone’s hiding each time you go through,

Clozapine, Amsulpride, which is it gonna’ be,

Can’t make your mind up, they do different things,

Clozapine, Amsulpride, not sure which one to choose,

Garth is in danger with your E.C.T.,

I feel you should think it through; just ask an intern,

And then you could get, the best sage advice,

Amsulpride less anxious; though haven’t you noticed,

Just ask an amateur, most of them know,

Clozapine’s history, is tossed by the wayside,

‘xcept it's more dang’rous than most of the rest,

Knowing he’s sensitive, likely to harm him,

Think of poor Garth and his compromised heart.

Yes, knowing he’s sensitive, likely too strong for him,

Hope you are ready to take this on board,

A possible overdose, just on a small amount,

Hope you’re prepared for: if anger you see:

The signs and symptoms associated with clozapine overdose are: drowsiness, lethargy, coma, areflexia, confusion, agitation, delirium, hyperreflexia, convulsions, hypersalivation, dilated pupils, blurred vision, thermolability (hot), tachycardia, hypotension, collapse, cardiac arrhythmias, heart block, respiratory depression or ...