Written in thanks to all of the breast cancer charities
THERE IS A ROGUE CELL CALLED C
THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO CURE LINGERING AROUND FOR CENTURIES
ITS INTENTIONS ANYTHING BUT PURE
NOR ITS TARGETS OUT OF REACH OR INSEDENTRY
YET NO MATTER HOW WE TRY TO ALTER ITS COURSE
THAT INVADES AND DIVIDES GOOD CELLS TO INFLAMMATORY
HOLDING ITS TARGET WITH PREDATORY FORCE
LIKE AN UNFORGIVING MILITARY ARMY
IT MAY JUST START IN ONE PLACE
THE BODY IT CAN OFTEN OVERWHELMS
THEN GRADUALLY SPREADS ITS WAY CALMLY
NO-ONE COULD SUSPECT IS PRESENCE
OR WHY ITS AT YOUR HELM
THAT IS WHY IT NEEDS TO BE DETECTED EARLY
CAUGHT WHILST ON ITS MARCHING ERRANT WAY
WITH RIGHT TREATMENT TO CRUCIALLY HELP TO DETER
ITS SOMETIMES ANILIATING SWAY
BRUTAL A DEADLY THREAT
SURGING ON RELENTLESSLY LIKE A FATAL WEAPON
COMPROMISING YOUR IMMUNITIY SYSTEM'S DEFENCES
STOMPING THOUGH YOUR HEALTH AND LIFE
ALLOCATING TO IT A SHAMBLING UNCONTROLLABLE
FEELING THAT SUDDENLY YOUR LIFE HAS TAKEN ON
AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND SCARILY UNKNOWN MEANING
JUDDERING YOUR LIFE AS IT WAS
TO A STUTTERING UNWISHED AND UNWANTED STOP
THE DISEASE'S IMPACT INVADING
BODY AND MIND WITH TERROR
AS THE SITUATION PAINFULLY NERVE WRACKINGLY
GRADUALLY HEARTSTOPPINGLY UNFOLDS
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DISAPPEARING
LIKE ALICE IN WONDERLAND DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
INTO AN UNKNOWN PLACE OF NIGHTMARES
OF WHY'S IF'S HOW'S AND DREADED OUTCOMES
MAKING YOU FEEL SO VULNERABLE AND ILLER
A BOAT ON RAPIDS WITHOUT ITS TILLER
DESPITE THE BEST INTENTIONS OF EMPATHY
FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS IT FADES EVENTUALLY
THOUGH NEEDED AND APPRECIATED
YOU FEEL MORE LOST AND ISOLATED AND AT SEA
THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE
IN THIS EVER CHANGING CHALLENGE
ITS FORCE NEVER NEGATED
WORDS CAN SOOTHE NOT HEAL YOU
OR DISPEL YOUR FEAR AWAY
IT IS THE LONLIEST TASK IN LIFE
TO TRY AND NOT SEEM FRIGHTENED
TO LOOK AND SOUND EVER BRAVE
IN THE TSUNAMI OF CANCER'S RAGE
SO YOU BATTLE ON VALIANTLY AS ONE CAN ONLY DO
FOR WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE ONLY TO LEAVE
ALL AROUND YOU FEELING HELPLESS AND BLUE
SO YOU FORGE ON QUIETLY
WHILST FRIENDS SOMETIMES DISAPPEAR
REMIND YOURSELF DO NOT BLUSTER
USING ANY REMAINING STRENGTH
YOU CAN INTERMITENTLY MUSTER
SO TO AVOID THEM SOMETIMES FEELING FLUSTERED
NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR SAY
HOPING THAT YOU YOURSELF CAN
ACT AND SOUND NORMAL
THEN PEOPLE AROUND YOU DON'T SEEM UNEASY
WHEN THEY FIND OUT YOU ARE
ONE OF THE INFLICTED ONE OUT OF TWO PEOPLE
PREDICTED WILL BE A CANCER STATISTIC ALONG WITH YOU
IN TURN THIS MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CANNOT GO ON
EVEN FOR ANOTHER HOUR LET ALONE ANOTHER DAY
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO DROP YOUR GUARD
YET LIKE A PRISONER YOU ARE BOUND TO
ACCEPT THIS SENTENCE AND TAKE UP THE CAUSE TO FIGHT
WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN EVERY POSITIVE WAY
AS THE SHADOW OF CANCER NEVER FADES
IT LIES LURKING LIKE A BURGLAR READY TO ROB
THE TIME YOU HAVE BELIEVE YOU HAVE LEFT
AS YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART
THAT EVEN IN REMISSION THIS IS A CHALLENGE
THAT WILL LAST TO THE END OF YOUR DAYS
YET SOMEHOW YOU LEARN TO ADJUST AND CARRY
ON REGARDLESS OF YOUR PHYSICAL STATE
AS THE MEANING OF EVERYTHING
HAS BECOME TO YOU SO MUCH MORE CLEAR
IT IS THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF LIFE WE CLING ON TO
KNOWING IT'S VALUE OF FRIENDS FAMILY
DOCTORS NURSES AND HOSPITAL STAFF
THAT STEAR YOU THROUGH THE GATEWAY
TO HELP YOU TRY AND FORGET YOUR DAILY INNTER FEAR
NOW WE LOVE REVERE AND CHERISH THEM SO ACCUTELY
AS THEY ARE YOUR SUN MOON THE AIR AND THE STARS
HOWEVER LONG YOU CAN SPEND WITH THEM
WILL BE FULL OF LIFE LOVE AND POIGNANT MEMORIES
THAT CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN OR MARRED
Copyright Natasha Anne Kelleher October 16th 2020
All Rights Reserved - No reproduction of either written word or photography
Photograph by Natasha Anne Kelleher
