This is the third in an ongoing series of poems by women living with cancer. The women who wrote this met at a day camp program in the summer of 2012. The most recent poem of the series to appear here, What the Women Wrote, 1, was published in February 2013.

What the Women Wrote, 2
By the Women Who Know

My body overheard the pain, silent
though it was, the receptionist telling me
how important the doctor’s time is
cancer, a sword straight through
my heart and soul,
mommy you look so cute
it doesn’t matter
that you don’t have hair
honey, I still love you
I don’t care
about those scars
you’ll be fine
and then a symphony of voices in nature,
trees flowing in the breeze, birds singing
in the trees, squirrels running up the trees
and prairie dogs running, hiding in the desert,
a spectrum running from the drums of war
to overtures of profound peace.

The sun warms me, dispels my fears,
opens my heart. Self-compassion flows
through nature, flowers, gentle breezes.
Water runs from my heart, the color of love.
I manifest peace and love.
I am an instrument of healing,
reiki has given me a way to reach
the souls of others, to free and ignite
the self-healing we all already possess.
With arms of angels and ordinary people
we become attuned to caring for each other.
The thing to remember is love and good vibes,
today, tomorrow, and yesterday
are all good days, a heart as light as summer
because life cannot thrive in the absence of hope.
So live each day to the fullest, just listen, dream,
savor each moment. The hero lies in you:
Fill your heart with love and laughter.
These women have been a blessing in my life.