Living with Cancer

The Bridge to Survival

Ordinary woman...me,
Till cancer called
And rocked my world.

Someone offered
a hand of hope
And a healing stream of
magic words,
"There's something that
outshines ordinary;
We'll find it as we
cross this bridge together."

A short walk...
Ordinary woman turned survivor...

looking back...

holding out a hand

for the next ordinary woman.

Pat Godfrey McRee 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words for Angela

See -

soft rain falling
on sweet new grass
as blackbird shakes
his bath wet feathers

Hear -

music of Hayden
gently played
while pigeons flap
over bee laden flowers

Smell -

yeasty bread straight
from the bakery
spread with raspberry
homemade jam

Taste -

freshly picked
strawberries covered
lightly in yellow cream
from the dairy

Touch -

soft delicate petals
of a small pink rose
feeling its power
to calm and refresh

Meg Heggie 2007
dedicated to Angel Patterson

Aspects of a Smaller Neck

following first week of chemo

I.
For one thing
I can strangle myself now ...
(pianist's hands
have been known
to wander).

II.
This is how I look.
This is not how I looked yesterday.
As a matter of truth
can this be said to be how I look
or simply how I'm looking?

 

III.
Asked by the cute nurse
with the soft eyes
on the last day
of the first round
how I was feeling
I answered that I
was feeling pretty.

IV.

Slim-throated image
I don't want to fall in love
however fine you look;
Tomorrow you may
change back into
a frog ... with mumps!

Ellen Diamond