“The Limits of Cancer”

“Do you give up? Do you submit to my will?”
Snarled the malevolent specter called Cancer
“For months I’ve attempted your spirit to kill.
Speak, woman, and give me your answer!”

“You’ve taken my breasts and caused me great pain,
And the loss sometimes will cause me to weep
And you’ve brought about misery, that much is plain.
But you can’t crush my spirit - no, that’s mine to keep!”

So Cancer skulked off to a man in his bed
And it whispered with menacing tone
“I know I have managed to fill you with dread
And it appears like you suffer alone.”

“I’ve lost some of my parts to the surgeon’s sharp knife
But you have not severed my strong will to live
And you cannot corrode the love of my wife,
Or of family and friends – no, that’s theirs to give!”

So like a wraith in the night, it next preyed on a child
Her head, from the poisons, was bare
The Beast licked its lips and roared as it smiled
“Have you had quite enough of this scare?”

“There are times that I quake and I tremble with fear,”
And most days I feel desperately ill
And at times I must wonder if the end is too near
But you can’t steal my courage – no, that’s with me still!”

It can riddle our body, it can gnaw on our bones,
Turn our red blood all frothy and white
It can make us so fearful to face our unknowns
As we smear on our war paint and fight!

But fight it we must, though it means a hard time
For Cancer has limits, despite evil powers.
It can’t rob of us peace or of memories sublime
Or of faith, love, or hope – no, those are all ours!

Art Ritter
February, 2010