Tumour

From a survivor

It creeps silently

Ticking like a time bomb

Devouring the building blocks of life

Black roots spread

Eating into the essence of life

Seeping into cumulative corners

Unrelenting, Uncaring

Just simple cells, multiplying

Without end,without beginning, infinite

It could happen to you,

Think upon it as you sit negligently

waiting for life to begin

A miracle occurrence

How precious your moments are

And how easily that ether

Is taken

Away

Author's Note

55 word story about my hate of Cancer. I survived but thousands don't

Reviews

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

I am happy that you were able to survive through it. My uncle died last year of cancer. I was really sad and on top of that my friend had killed himself. He died two days after my friend kill himself. I had so much depression after that. My Uncle had urethral cancer and that is very rare. I had done a paper on it before he died...I knew everything that I had to know for it. So I know about that cancer. I barely knew my uncle, but I knew my Aunt. I have spoken to her briefly on the phone lately. Like I said before I am glad you made it through. And I hope that it never comes back. Thanks for sharing. Excellent work. :)

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

I immediatey knew what you were relating~ you've given the reality a powerful thrust into the consciousness with your poem~ at 16 I watched my mother go through the emotional and physically devestating phases of breast cancer from diagnosis to a radical lateral mastectomy~ life is precarious at best~ each moment is a gem that should be embraced~ she also survived~ I was tested last year and have a mutation on BRAC1~ I opted for preventative digital mammography every 6 months~ I've always lived life exhuberantly~ your message is delivered in a thoughtful and effective compassionate mode~

[PaperHearts]

That was an incredible write! I loved how honest and straight forward you were in this piece, and I really thought that it made the emotion behind your words all the more powerful. Although I personally haven't had to go through cancer, a couple of people very close to me have, and so in a way, reading this made me remember the rollercoaster of emotions that I had to witness as the bystander of such a situation. I thought that you captured the cruelty of cancer and the vulnerability and helplessness of the effects of cancer in a beautifully moving way. Great write,
~PaperHearts

[RDOriginal]

This is my second review of a particularly personal poem in the last 24 hours. It's always very brave when someone bares their soul and shares a dark or unhappy past memory. In itself I believe that's worthy of commending alone.

There's some good imagery in here along with a healthy dose of science. I'm particularly drawn to the phrases, "devouring the building blocks of life" and "eating into the essence of life". Technically that's exactly what cancer does, but here the addition of personification makes it seem more intimate. The process is literally one of consumption - a biological feast as it were.

From this very personal attack that's carried out in a "unrelenting" and "uncaring" manner the poem changes tack a little. We're reminded that it is "just simple cells" and that it is such a basic process that is going wrong. By changing to a more dispassionate approach the poem is then able to move easily to the closing lines.

The final lines adopt a much more cautionary tone. There's clearly a very personal warning here about the precious nature of life. Graphologically good effect is made of the shortness of the last two lines, as if to remind us that suddenly we too could be cut off in our prime.

[Breezie Kae]

I relate to this as a cancer survivor. It's sad to think how so many people aren't so lucky as to survive from it. It's true that life shouldn't be taken for granted. Great write. :)