2003-10th Anniversary “ Race for the Cure.”
Observations by Artis at the race.
I sit in wonder and sadness,
surrounded by women
both lovely and tragic,
The gleam of hope in their eyes,
the glint of despair in their souls.
Rushing to and fro,
heads wrapped in turbans
to cover the naked skin,
Long tresses burned away by chemo.
All dressed in the blush of pink,
the color of healthy cheeks denied.
Survivors bearing the weight
of victims names pinned to their backs,
marked for those beneath markers now.
Crooked smiles and mastectomy scars
etched on their flesh
As they bravely struggle
against the inevitable,
postponing the finish
in a Race for the Cure.
Decked out in pink loops
that resemble the eternal ankh,
adorning their hats and lapels
as they gather for the run.
Many from last year no longer here
their spirits flutter in the banners
that sail along the
pathway to the starting line.
Where once fullness bounced
against straining chests,
emptiness lightens their dash.
No one really wins until
the finish brings a cure,
a treadmill of doctors
and fearful prognosis
still await them at
the end of this race,
yet still they come
in the pink of an early dawn.
They line up by thousands
to begin the long rush from mortality.
Undaunted they cross the finish
to hugs of comfort
and appointments yet to keep.
Another year...another race,
another day of sunshine
on their upturned faces.
New drugs to try, and always
a chance that this year the money
will bring some perfected treatment
that will carry them to the next run.
Not as a name on a memory sheet
but in the flesh, legs raised high,
feet pounding the pavement
towards futures worthy of chasing.
Peace to all who have come
abreast of death and emerged today victorious.
God speed on your paths ahead.
Patty’s Song
(Patty was my cousin who was in her third bout of breast cancer,
and who lost a brave battle on Sunday August 5th, 2007.
She spent much of her time dying, helping others who were
dying to live. Please get checkups regularly, and do self exams
to avoid what she had to endure for so long.)
She was such a bright flower
amidst sharp thorns of grief,
She meant so much to Howard
in her lifetime so brief,
She ran Races for Cures
chasing hopes she’d be saved,
Balancing daily duties
with her charitable ways,
But it’s goodbye to Patty now
because her last race was run,
And though she didn’t get better
at the finish she won,
Her death was heroic
with all the work she had done,
helping others fate left upon
the path she’d begun.
Never fond of the darkness
at death’s curtain she fought,
Yet I’m sure at her passing
she found the cure that she sought.
In the pink clouds of glory
amidst the angels above,
All her cancer was banished
in the warmth of God’s love.
So it’s farewell to Patty now;
bless her pals who remain,
They supported and ran with her
through the worst of her pain,
All their efforts were worthy
of praise poets can’t write,
Standing by her until the end
when she went into the light.
Patty’s death left great lessons
on how to touch many lives,
With our kindness and sharing,
so that strong memories survive.
How to face our departure,
with huge courage and hope,
Ignoring death so unselfishly,
while helping others to cope.
This is my tribute to Patty now,
because her last race was run,
And though she never got better,
at the finish she won.
Now she waits on the other side,
with a smile on her face,
Asking God heal all of those,
running in the next race.
~~~~~~~~MFB-III-production.-Artis~@Art-whimsically Yours Studios-(C)-2007-Anytown U.S.A.
In a list
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
What did you think
Comments
-
Your work is so amazing, your observational skill are very impressive as are your impressions – that along with Patty’s Song make this a powerful statement. We had a good friend enter a 10k race just to help carry names; she’s not a runner and finished with last group after several hours. It is support like that makes so much difference in attitude, knowing there are people pulling for you. So many stories of strength and hope mingle with those of sorrow, songs like Patty’s will be sung for years to come, until we are able to find a cure. Till that time your encouragement to get regular check-ups and self exams is exactly what needs to be done. Thank you again for entering the contest, I appreciate your good work here.
Blessings and best wishes,
~r.
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artis, thank you so much for entering your poem, “Metastisizing sorrow and hope!” into my contest, Breast Cancer Awareness, it is an honor to have your work posted here and your voice and 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 and wish you best of luck in the contest.
Blessings and best wishes,
~r.
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Having lost my grandmother to a rare form of cancer- after numerous battles, fought over several years and several bouts of chemo, not to mention all that comes with it- nausea, vomitting, staff infections... the list goes on... I use to run in these races in honor of her memory when I lived in California. I haven't entered on in, oh my, it's been four years now. The people I met and they faith they had was something I could only imagine. It's one those things where, "until you walk in another person's shoes..." You have described the races well. Come rain or shine, people showed up and persevered, even if those who could only WALK one or two miles... they gave what they could and what they had. This is a wonderful poem in honor of a worthy cause Artis.
♥ Touchof1der
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Accute observations
I sat reading, reading with my spirit - reaching back and forth. Stretched from Beginning to End. From Alpha to Omega. And all along this path of past, present and future, bodies crawl, walk, sprint, stumble, sprint, stumble, fall, crawl ... until, at last we all soar ...
Whether suffering from mutilation, humiliation, paralyzed within structures of steel, we are alienated from this temporary world ... Failure of system or sight ... hope, faith and love will take us THERE. Towards End-Beginning.
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