Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Cancer Snuck In

In her black overcoat
nudging open the door
like a stealth robber
and she has been here ever since.

she changes everything
crowds the bookshelves with unwanted binders
her hand hovers over the jewelry box;
she will steal now, she says;
just like she stole your mother’s

Tonight, she climbs
into the shower and taunts, “Truth or Dare?”
before daring me to
look down at the truth
later, she crawls under the covers
between us
stripping sexy from the lexicon
and whispering whatifs
in my ear

Even as I sit here,
she lurks behind me
threatening to
invade every conversation
and bends over my naked dome
and quietly demands,
From now on,
you write about me.


[using the poem “Death Barges In” by Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno as a template]

8 comments:

John said...

That "girl" needs a serious ass kicking, and you're just the one to do it.

Best of luck on the final suesun!

Doc said...

You are my hero.

Your poem, like all that you’ve written and shared with us, beautifully articulates some of what it is you are going through.

I know that you write for yourself - as you should. But it has allowed me, and I’m sure many others, to cross the big divide of mere sympathy over to empathy.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

those last two lines are something else, powerful. I'm loving your poems, you have such a gift. Love to you Sue!

Jene' Jackson said...

I love you.

Duane said...

Wow, Sue! That's a great poem!

Lynn said...

The truth is so raw. And so true.
xo

Kate said...

Oh, I so totally relate...

Anonymous said...

Just read back through the poetry. All beautiful, and this one is heart-rending.