Breast Cancer Poem by James Gibbons

Sandwiched between
layers of confusion.
The red flush of betrayal, gut punched when first felt.

A ticket, a necessary journey to unknown destinations.
Sterile cold corridors, hot tears, statistics, frozen heart.

A child again, overwhelmed by new found fears, endless hours.
Mind repeating, repealing revulsion unrelieved by days,
mother, food, friends, bed.

Spaced out on toxic cocktails life saving chemo junkie.
body drags, sags from assault, never understanding
what the white coats say.
Run away or die when days done.
Exhausted weary flesh, hospitals beds, fresh scars, hurt body,
devoid of ornamentation.
Everything gone, all suspicious
spreading sentinels signal hope. Discussed in windowless rooms
three times a week.
Searching for scarce found life.
Smiling, wearing rubber gloves, infusing inflamed veins.
Sleek spooky talking machines applied to the chest/breast.

Weeks, months, bald badge joining the pink parade.
Hundreds, thousands recalled in memory;

to be here, alive, experience, joined with joy,
love, shared sisterhood. Celebrating life and death.
Sisterhood of spiritual strength.