I am not my breast,
not my hair,
I am not my complexion,
not my eyes, not my nose,
not my lips, not my fingers,
not my toes, not my voice.
I can live without these things.
I am a mother,
a daughter, a sister,
a friend, a lover,
a wife, an aunt,
a grandmother,
and a stranger.
I am beauty,
I am the song on the radio,
the whisper in your ear,
I am the goosebumps in the
chill of night,
I am the comfort you find
in a hug,
I am a heartbeat, a soul,
a kiss in the cold,
an angel in your dreams, or
a breath of winter snow.
I am love.
I am fear.
I am strength.
I AM NOT CANCER.
CANCER IS NOT ME.
Cancer is
a disease, not a
death sentence (necessarily)---
Cancer can take a lot from me,
my breast, my hair, my health,
my life.
But,
It can't take away my soul,
It can't change who I am.
I have cancer,and
I am beautiful, strong,
and scared,
but I am
alive.
Author notes
I don't have breast cancer, but I know many who have had it. This is for them. I know it isn't the greatest poem in the world, but I had to write something for this contest to give hope to those who have cancer and those who are survivors, and especially for those who have died from this terrible disease. Kudos to you Richard for the beautiful contest, and for being a cancer survivor. You are beautiful.
You have my permission to send wherever you wish Richard.
A contest entry
- Breast Cancer Awareness (contest) by astralshepherd.
800 points, ended October 23, 2007, 28 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Wonderful
This is a beautiful poem!
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Congrates on the HM Sis,
This shows your caring poetic heart and sweet soul!
Thanks for being you,
and sharing the much needed words of support to those in need.
You are a true blessing! Love ya sis.
Bro Timothy
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Congrats on the honorable mention. I think that this is a truly important message for woman to read and relate to. Many women feel defined by their illness and that is not true. You are obviously a woman of strength and wisdom. Well done!!
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beautifully composed - so filled with poignancy and understanding and strength and it exposes a vulnerability... so human in the empathy and power - a wonderful and awe inspiring message!
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Becca, you have captured, I think, so very well the heart of what goes on inside, the wrestling of mind as it seeks to overcome the concept of cancer. The body-mind idea is so entrenched in our lives that we think, all too often, that we are our bodies, that what happens to us in our bodies is somehow, “us” It is not true, we are not our bodies. Our bodies are the vehicle that carries us through life and on into the mystery of what is afterward. We can get so overwhelmed with the illusion that we have cancer and so our identities must be somehow also have cancer…I’ve seen it in many people with cancer, I’ve experienced the illusion personally – I may have cancer, but cancer does not have “me.” You so accurately state, “It can't take away my soul” It is a truth that cannot be said enough, that cannot be emphasized enough as we all seek to battle this devastating disease. Once I remove myself from that idea, I can see the cancer and battle it with more force of will. Again, thank you so much for entering the contest, I appreciate your fine efforts.
Blessings and best wishes,
~r.
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Becca, thank you so much for entering your poem, “I Am Not Cancer…” into my contest, it is truly an honor to have this poem posted here. Your unique perspective is a welcome addition. This is a boilerplate note that I place on all poems entered to let you know I have reviewed your poem and have made my initial observations. Please feel free to add to or modify your poem as I will make my final assessments after the close of contest. I will judge the contest approximately ten days after that and will make any additional comments at that time. Thank you, again, I truly do appreciate your effort, the permission to use your poem and I wish you best of luck in the contest.
Blessings and best wishes,
~r.
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that is a very good poem! i love it
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