Good Chemo Report
The toxic stuff makes her tired, and sick,
but it is also doing what it is supposed to,
shrinking tumors, which, at the very least
buys us time, and we need time to keep
what is precious to us, my wife, around.
She is precious to herself, which I realize
now, and precious to me, which I can’t articulate
except with stammering confessions,
or what seem like confessions, expressions
of faith which touch a tender nerve,
and leave me thinking I haven’t said enough.
Her friends, and she is deep in friends, say
as much, or more, than I do, repeating
each other because the words all follow
the same path, sadness and determination,
or anger and hope or fierce protectiveness,
and indeed the words do protect my wife,
banish loneliness temporarily, or help
to put together a good day, and she
needs good days to follow bad days.
She told her therapist as much, saying
the silver lining in all of this was
the realization so many people love her,
which helps in the midst of danger.We will take what the oncologist gives us,
enough to satisfy our mutual greed for life,
and pray for more time, more health,
a lengthening horizon before us.
We never do want to say goodbye.
copyright Frank K. 2008
