The C Word

Lynita Hamilton

They had grabbed the wrong file

I’m sure that was what occurred

I heard them whispering in the hallway

Oh no, not the c word

As she entered the room

The doctor said, “Okay, here’s what’s going on.”

It couldn’t be the c word

I’m sure that she was wrong

Everything would be fine

I convinced myself that day

Some how the c word

Just wouldn’t go away

I couldn’t hold my babies

The chemo really hurt

I didn’t want to admit it,
But I had to accept the c word

I spent many days in bed

Not really wanting to be

How could the awful c word

Leave its mark on me

It’s been almost a year now

Since I got the frightening news

Life seems so much sweeter

I’ve still got so much to do

I see the look in their eyes

They are filled with sorrow

I won’t let cancer have me

Not today and not tomorrow