unwelcome companion

lupus -- n., autoimmune disease,

from the French, “like a ravening wolf”

Thirty years mark our path together,

unwelcome signs of allergy

to myself, my own body

rejecting itself.

What a puzzle, but somehow apt.

All those years my job

shot my life through with stress,

countless all-nighters,

wasted and frustrating weekends,

one long agony of thirty-six hours,

cajoling and tweaking

hardware and software,

databases and scripts

to work, to run.

I banished gremlins and bugs

like a knight slaying dragons,

but I was not armor-clad.

Now all that is behind me,

And I thought life would be quiet.

The ravening wolf, I thought,

would disappear, or at least

he would be held at bay.

But it seems he likes the quiet.

He stalks and leaves me sapped.

Where is the strength

that I had to kill dragons?

Where is the armor?

I thought I earned it.

 

 

Reviews

[Pryde Foltz]

I should think you did. You have my sympathy and thank you for sharing what you face; you never know who will benefit from your confessional. About the poem--I do like the metaphor of dragons, wolves, and armour. When something is attacking our body it does, indeed, seem mystical and a little magic would not be unappreciated. A very apt comparison. Keep fighting on and here's a little love sent you way to aid in the battle.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow. A nice confessional type of poem on this disease and your run in with it. You have shown strength and endurance in it wake. Although you had to work long , tideous hours and battling this at times...I like when you said : " I was not armored-clad for that shows our human fragility no matter how much we are prepared...Splendid as always...:)

[annie lee]

Thanks, Sami.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)