s h
a k
i n
g
you were
s ha king
your life was planned out
by medical folders
hospital patient
hospital worker
you knew all about the
effects taking place in your body
but you were
r o o t e d
like a tree standing lone in a
h
u
r
r
i
c
a
n
e
the angels were on your side
and you kept your smile
beside your bed in a glass box
as you slept
you wore it every morning
three years wasn't a long time but
it was long enough to travel the world
you were
j i tt
e r
y
like a child on christmas morning
but this wasn't a holiday
and you broke the glass that held
the only thing keeping your head high
"i'm going to die anyway"
yet you were rooted
both feet planted on the ground
a
j o u r
ne y
you were ready to walk
a dirt road followed by angels in white
optimism carried on silver platters
a week to a month wasn't long enough for
travelling to snow covered peaks and screaming
"i am free and you cannot change me"
you cannot change me
you cannot
change me
you stood
a l o n e
among angels covered in grime
silver platters turned to dust and
smiles falling, fading, gone
yet you
p
l
a
n
t
e
d
both feet firmly to the ground and spoke
the words that tore the dirt off angels covered
in mud, brought snow covered peaks to you
"you cannot change me,
i am s t ro ng wi ll ed"
hospital bed
hospital room
hospital worker
you are brave
Written for my beautiful aunt, diagnosed with colon and liver cancer in June 2013; the struggle has been all too real. I love you, Aunt Annie.