Cancer Journal #18 Feb 1

                     Do You Hate Cancer?

 I ask this of a woman with whom I have a nice rapport.

We share a treatment  room at Spero Wellness Clinic,

 Both receiving intravenous Vitamin C infusions. 

There’s a lot cancer patients have to talk about.

Yack for a couple of hours and still more to say.

Things to ask, things to tell.

She says that she does hate cancer.

I believe her; she speaks with such conviction.

To have your health robbed, hatred is the right response.

I tell her I don’t hate cancer.

I feel about it as football players feel about their opponents.

Adversaries, yes but when the game is over,

Meeting at mid-field, hugging, affection in their eyes

As they share a few words.

So far, I’ve been beating cancer.

Gentle feelings toward an opponent who’s losing.

But if things go bad, if cancer makes a second half comeback

And I get laid low, things could change.

Emotions go hard, cold steel:  Hate this thing!

Hate this thing!  Hate this thing!

Life Robber.  Hate this thing!

But that’s not yet.

As I mentioned earlier, I am part of a writing group that meets the first Thursday of each month.  I intend to submit this for the Thursday meeting.  I was told once that what I submitted as a poem wasn't really a poem.  I was surprised.  I thought if you just used lines and stanzas, that made it a poem.  Will be interested to know if this is a poem.  It probably will be found to be a poem even if it isn't.  Cancer gives you extra credit which I really would prefer not to have.  Maybe if I go long term and I'm still writing about cancer five years from now, I will lose the cancer dividend.