The Last Straw
I lose my mother.
I toss her ashes with the fairies,
and stay cheery
in celebration of her philosophy
and life.
I have a mammogram, sonogram, biopsy,
lumpectomy and removal of three lymph nodes.
I do chemotherapy for four months,
through Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and New Years, and into the spring.
I lose the hair on my head,
pubic hair, eyelashes, eyebrows,
and skin peels in sheets off my feet.
I stay cheery in the lessons,
and the receiving of so much love,
but when …..
My beloved Cat Mandu, friend and companion
for twenty years appears to be sick,
why, then, I stamp my foot,
and say to the universe,
I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
Mandu is needed here!
I’ve given up enough!
