Pink Like Cancer

~~~5/14/14

Never have I ever

Seen my aunt

So drenched

In a sweat so cold

That the little drops of condensation

Hidden on the window

Froze

Like she froze.

Pink. 

Pink is supposed to be 

Ribbons and purses and innocence

Pink is supposed to be 

Frilly and lighthearted and free.

But as she cupped her breast,

Touching a little lump right here

Right....here...

I knew that her life had changed.

As she went to the doctors

She tucked her fear

In between the fingers still holding hope

Only 20, results came crashing in

The doctors collectively disconnect,

Eyes trying not to betray their words,

With one breath, two breaths.

Though my aunt didn't breath at all.

Relief was swallowed down,

Taken like a pill

But in between her teeth fear held fast.

In those moments she was red,

Anger, pain, betrayal, 

Swelling to burst into flames

Set by the pyro lying here in her breast.

In that second I knew pink was just blackened red

Red purchased by society

And filled with an ugly,

Sickening,

White.

Blank white.

White to wash away the red

So it can be sold to us

On a silver platter

As ridiculous pink.

...pink like ribbons.

'Cause they think we will swallow it down

Like pills

Like fear seeping from a little lump

Right. Here.

When my aunt was only 20.

So let's not buy it anymore.