Cancer Comes Calling Poem by Sheena Blackhall

The housewife from Number four
The lab technician from Crewe
The florist who knew your mother
Her neighbour and cousin too

What did they do before,
Cancer came to reside
Eating away at the breast
Or the lung on the distaff side?

The dancer, the banker, the lord
All come under the knife
And after, the shedding hair
Of somebody's sister or wife

Cancer: an evil guest
Uninvited. How long will it stay?
Will it leave? Will its power be vanquished
To the dark will it dance you away?