Easter Seals
So, I’ll put my cards on the table:
it’s Easter and the seals are dancing
in the garden, and they are ring-tailed,
like raccoons, and they’re dancing
because it’s Easter and they’re Easter
Seals after all and you can’t blame them
for dancing when their time is upon them
and they’re in season and everybody
dances when the time’s right, don’t they?,
because I know I do, and I’m dancing right
now, dancing with joy and happiness
because last night, for the first time in two
years since I started my cancer treatment,
I only peed once, at half past three,
and I went to bed at ten and dammit,
that’s five and a half hours of sleep,
for the first time in two years, and I
usually pee every ninety minutes
and that’s five or six times a night,
but last night, I peed just that once,
and I went back to bed and I slept
for another four and a half hours
until eight o’clock in the morning
and that was almost ten hours straight
for the first time in … well, you remember,
I don’t need to repeat it yet again …
but boy, do I ever feel good this morning,
and yes, I’m laying my cards on the table
and I’m dancing, just like those Easter Seals.
Comment: I finally finished my poetic journal, A Cancer Chronicle, and I put it up on Amazon last Friday. A Cancer Chronicle is sub-titled ‘one man’s journey’ and in it I write about my reactions to the treatment I received for prostate cancer. I met many people at the cancer hospice during my eight week stay, most of whom were a lot worse off than I was. I admired the courage of my fellow sufferers and learned so much about human beings and how they face adversity. I was particularly impressed with the bravery of the women who were suffering from breast cancer. They were so strong, so courageous. In spite of their troubles, my fellow patients reached out and helped me from the first day of my stay. They pulled me through the difficult days and shared their experiences with me. I will never forget them. If this book can comfort just one cancer sufferer, I will be so happy.
It’s just a guess, but I am assuming that finishing A Cancer Chronicle took a weight off my shoulders and allowed me the peace of mind to finally sleep. I do hope that this is a milestone and that my recovery will continue. Pax amorque / Peace and Love.
A good sign, i should think. ( ; Take care, Roger.
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Urologist very pleased. I’ll e-mail.
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Great poem, Roger:
Many of us of a certain age (or an uncertain age, as I think of it), even without the cancer experience, are happy to discover upon waking that we’ve SLEPT for HOURS!
Dance on, my friend.
-j
http://www.thestoneist.com
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It’s a funny time of life. Luckily, the sense of humor is strong at the moment and I can laugh at most things. Thank heavens.
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Congratulations! The book is on my list. I can’t wait to read it.
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Thanks so much, Tanya. I hope you like it. It has been three years in the making, from early diagnosis, through treatment to recovery. I laughed so much while I was writing today’s poem! Hilarious …
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Today’s poem was funny! I’m so glad you have recovered, and I think this book will provide great inspiration for people who have lived through or are living through cancer. I have a friend I am giving a copy as well…
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I didn’t think Clare would approve at all. “You’re surely not putting that up,” she said. And then she started laughing … that’s always a good sign …
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It is…lol
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❤️ Wonderful. People are amazing. Hope with everything you continue to do well and that your book offers hope and humour to others.
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Thank you Polly. It does help when you can see the funny side of all this. My early poems (pre-hospice) were very dark but they changed when I met all those “fellow-sufferers” who challenged their suffering with strength, energy, and laughter. Sunny here today and the robins are back … a sure sign of spring … whoopee!
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Inspiring stuff Roger, I don’t think I would show such strength.
Spring fully in bloom here with winter-white skin getting burnt at the kids’ rugby training at Underhill Park this morning.
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Spring rugby: one of the after winter joys here in Canada. I’ll tell you some of my guilty rugby secrets one of these days!
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