Poetry thread

Life after a breast cancer diagnosis Living with breast cancer
161

Just a short one:

My DNA, it got confused,
The code was slightly wrong.
With chemo drugs I was infused,
My life to now prolong.

I’m not sure you’d class this as poetry but a few words pertinent to the Big C.

C is for calamity, cunning, crisis, challenging, complex, cruel and cr*p
C is for cleavage, crying, careworn, contemplatory and courage
C is for caring
C is for Curie
C is for cancer.

I’ve deliberately missed a couple of obvious ones as they have the potential to upset or be controversial.
X

162

Well Tors, as i mentioned, your poem has struck a chord with me for sure…
I wished i had faced my true feelings at the time, but i couldn’t.
Writing a poem is an excellent idea - ‘mummy was ill but couldn’t show it’ . Yes that was me!
Couldn’t show it to anyone because i was the ‘strong’ one keeping it all together.

I have had a wobbly month with everything catching up with me but determined to keep going for my chiodren and for me…xxx

Flori your choice of words hit the mark bang on ! xxx

163

Tors, your poem also struck a chord with me - although I don’t have children I still feel I let my family down.

Guilt Tripping

“You were always so healthy as a child”
Is that an accusation?
My mother’s tone is mild
But does she think I chose this situation?

“Maybe it came from you being hit in the chest by a ball”
Thank you, sister dear.
But breast injuries have nothing to do with it at all,
On that, the web sites are very clear.

And yes, in university I liked to have a drink,
But other students drank way more than me;
Surely they’d have got it sooner if there was a link.
Besides, in recent years my drink was often tea.

Ten years on the pill couldn’t be the answer,
As I came off it nine years ago.
Since it was an aggressive cancer,
It would have been quicker to grow.

Search for reasons but please see,
I never asked for this in my life,
It feels like you’re blaming me,
Which cuts me deeply as a knife.

164

Here’s a bit of nonsense thanks to insomnia. Set to Kylie’s ‘Locomotion’

Low Chemo Moan

Everybody’s taking an IV stance now
(Come on ladies, do the low chemo moan)
It really fights the cancer so let’s give it a chance now
(Come on ladies, do the low chemo moan)
If I have lots of sisters who will do it with me, it’s easier to handle my F, E, C
So come on, come on, do the low chemo moan with me
You gotta swing your PICCs now

Come on ladies
Drips up
Sit back
Did you not get a portacath?
Ow, ow.

The nurse is pulling faces, she cannot find a vein now
(Come on ladies do the low chemo moan)
We’re chucking up, emotional, and feeling in pain, now
(Come on ladies, do the low chemo moan)
This really isn’t easy, now, can’t do this alone
A little bit of saline and some aching bones

Come on, come on
Do the low chemo moan with me
Ye-ye-ye-yeah

Ask for Movicol if you need a motion
(Come on ladies, forget your hair lotion)
Can I hold your hand while they give me the potion?
Oh god baby, what is this emotion?

I thought the final cycle would be easy to do
I thought I would be happy but I’m feeling blue
So come on, come on, do the low chemo moan with me

(Come on)
You gotta swing your PICCS, now
(Come on)
That’s right (do the low chemo moan)
You’ve got a line!
(Come on, do the low chemo moan)
Come on, nurse
(Come on, do the low chemo moan)
Ow-ow-ow, drips up
(Come on)
Now tax! (do the low chemo moan)
It’s even worse
(Come on, do the low chemo moan)
Ow-ow-ow, drips up
(come on)
Relax! (do the low chemo moan)

165

Key features - that is BRILLIANT! What a masterpiece!
I think it needs to be published!

Nazxxxxx

166

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT KEYFEATURES!! Really made me laugh. Think you should try taking it onto Britains Got Talent.
Lol

167

Wrote this before dx, but think it is quite apt. Already posted it on another thread, but here goes again.

How much longer will it be
before this fog will clear?
And how much further must I walk
to free me from all fear?
I don’t want life to be a party,
I’m sick of sounding arty-farty -
maybe I should give in now
or fall down on my rear.
There’s many who would laugh I know.
There’s many who would cheer.
There’s many more would walk away
and never shed one tear.
But I stopped caring long ago
and think it’s time they knew
that they can do just as they please.
_ I’ll still be here next year. _

Hugs pg xxx

168

Hello ladies…don’t post much now just a bit of lurking…someone please show the low chemo moan to Simon Cowell…made me laugh out loud…thank you ladies…apple

169

Keafeatures - you are a star. As Naz said Should be published … .

170

Key features, once again you are a genius! Get that piece published asap! :slight_smile:
Poemsgalore, also love your piece - especially the last bit. I lost some friends along the way,some do not know if i am alive or gone! Do i care? No!

xxx

171

Bumping up in case anyone wants a read or even wants to contribute.

172

Hi Tors , I know you are celebrating 3 years as you wrote a beautiful piece on another thread. I will be 3 years in July,
This is my contribution which I will call Looking Back …

Looking back, how did we cope ,
We just felt scared
And inclined to mope.
But we got through it,
We made new friends,
We tried to be happy,
We still made plans.
We wasnt brave and we wasnt strong,
We just soldiered on
For our families and friends.
So now we look forward
And we want to be
Happy and Carefree
And still the same ME !
We want to be normal
And stay Cancer Free
We pray to stay Healthy
For you and for me .

Lots of love to you all Tracy xxx

173

LIFE IS A JOURNEY IN WHICH WE ALL BEGAN
WHAT LIFE BRINGS US IS,NT ALWAY PART OF OUR PLAN
I DIDNT SEE IT S PART OF MY JOURNEY
AND NOW ITS HERE, A LESSON FOR ME TO LEARN
I MUST TAKE HOLD
BE STRONG AND BE BOLD
EACH DAY THIS CANCER TAKES A BIT MORE
MY BODY MY MIND MY SOUL
WHO.S THAT PERSON I SEE
SHE LOOKS BACK AT ME,
NAKED AND SCARED
VANITY LAYED BARE AS CAN BE.
THIS IS A LESSON THAT FATE HAS GAVE TO ME
TERROR AND PAIN
IS EVERY DAY LIFE
EVERY DAY I AWAKE
IS A BATTLE OF STRENTH AND STRIFE

174

THIS IS THE BEST SITE EVER, FANTASTIC POEMS, FUNNY, EMOTIONAL, AND REALL, KEEP THE POEMS COMING LADIES, YOUR ALL BRILLIANT XXX

175

Two from me, I put most of mine on the February Valentines thread. They seem to like them.

The Invader

It sat there
in the bottom of my left breast.
It didn’t hurt,
not at first.
I tried to ignore it,
pretend it wasn’t there,
but when I lay in bed
my fingers would find it.

I squeezed it
hoping it would disappear.
But it didn’t,
The invader.
It took over my mind
as well as my breast.
I had to tell someone,
so I told you.

The Day that Cancer Came

I was minding my own business
getting on with life,
being someone’s mother
being someone’s wife.
I enjoyed good food
and a nice country stroll
Things were fine and dandy
deep inside my soul.
Yes I just kept on doing
everything the same
But everything changed
the day that cancer came.

I went to feed the birds
with sunflower hearts and nuts,
picked a bunch of Tulips
that year we’d had a glut.
I took them to the kitchen
and stood them in a jug,
put it on the sideboard
I was feeling rather smug.
Oh I was really someone,
my life seemed like a game.
But everything changed
the day cancer came.

When I look back now
at how things used to be,
I just can’t believe
that I’m still really me.
Looking in the mirror
it’s as though I’ve been exchanged,
While deep inside my heart
my perspective seems so strange.
My priorities are simpler
some things are rearranged.
Yes, everything is different
Since the day that cancer came.

Poemsgalore xx

176

Poemsgalore, those are brilliant

177

Hi Poemsgalore,
That is great .You are very talented . We should try and get some of these published for BC campaigns in October . It would be good to have a little book of poems that we could call our own…
Everything Pink ! or Breast Buddies Poetry … ? Any other ideas anyone ?
Goodnight to you all Love Tracy xxx

I am supposed to be Sleeping,
But my eyelids stay awake,
No matter
What I think about
I just cant seem to Sleep!
The hot sweats
And the night flushes
All contribute to me
Being awake at this silly hour
And talking to all of you !
I have made some new B C Buddies
And I call them now my friends.
Please send me
A passing Sleep Fairy
To come into my dreams xxx

178

Tracy, that’s lovely. I too wrote one about a sleep fairy, but it’s not as good as yours. Love your idea about publishing them to sell for BCC.Suggested titles sound great.

Checking Your Temperature Daily

You’ve had the call from Oncology,
it’s chemo - and maybe Herceptin.
That’s when you find they’ve set you a course
of tablets and an injection!
When you aren’t feeling well
and your white cells are low
and immunity is failing,
there’s panic, alarm, and you will find that you’re
checking your temperature daily.

OH has a cold, keep him at arm’s length
and make sure THAT phone number’s handy.
Then dose yourself up with First Defence
and maybe a wee tot of Brandy.
Are your neuts up to strength?
As you don’t want the flu,
And you certainly don’t want the lurgy!
You worry away, wonder just what to do -
while checking your temperature daily.

You’re off for your blood test to see if you’re fit
so you can have your next session.
Just where, while you’re waiting should you go and sit,
and you find your facial expression
is fixed in a grin, so hard and so grim
while trying to give the impression
that everything’s fine and you’re doing okay
so you try to smile, bright and gaily.
While all of the time you have to remember
KEEP CHECKING YOUR TEMPERATURE DAILY!!

Kath xx

179

Bumping up for members/cyber stalkers who haven’t come across the thread before x

180

The book is a brilliant idea. We should call it Get it off Your Chest! :slight_smile: