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Poetry · Chapter
Lt. Col. N. M. Percy explained
A brief limerick pays tribute to Lt.
What happens
A brief limerick pays tribute to Lt. Col. N. M. Percy, a surgeon from Chicago, as recalled by a grateful doughboy whose life was saved through Percy's skill and divine mercy.
Themes in this chapter
Work and Profession
The limerick highlights the surgeon's professional skill and the gratitude of a patient, emphasizing the value of dedicated work in medicine.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The doughboy who speaks in the limerick, reflecting on his survival and the surgeon's unusual title.
Key passages
“A doughboy, preserved by God’s mercy And the skill of a surgeon, said “Nursey, Will you tell me why This he-guy from Chi Travels round with a title like ‘Percy’?””
A soldier saved by divine grace and a surgeon's expertise asks a nurse why the Chicago doctor goes by the name 'Percy'.
The doughboy's playful curiosity about the surgeon's name underscores the mix of gratitude and humor in the aftermath of war.