The inner shrieks
of disbelief echo bulgingly,
and pounds stability with jagged sharpness,
genes gone wild, cancer,
Life-sucker and family destroyer,
has usurped a fragile chemistry,
a healthy body, a human mind…
Fear, anger, grief, outrage,
and, always, more fear,
miasmically suffocating
normalcy.

The tears flow,
and saltiness burns into minds
wounded countenance, crusting
the edges of despair, cancer,
Spirit-sapper and widow maker,
has infiltrated a precious person,
my brother’s wife, his Joy of Life…
Terror, fear, horrendous ripping
of hearts foundation,
cataclysmically changing
normalcy.

Her spirit glows,
and her courage shines into designs
of the chemical battle, raising
her extended family’s hope, cancer,
Pain-giver and energy-ender,
has transfixed her soul, and ours,
she holds our hearts, thoughts, and love…
Agony, nausea and wanton fears
are bravely overridden,
somehow reclaiming
normalcy…

in tears.

Erin Moen
4/27/04
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