Wednesday, February 4, 2015

HONESTLY, TO MY FRIEND WHO HAS CANCER

My feelings form a defective rainbow.
Not the happy kind that surprises with sudden beauty.
This one shocks with ugly colors that paint monsters.

I keep seeing it ever since you told me.
Though my heart is full of empathy,
monstrous colors make me want to run
far, very far
from you.

Because I don't know what to say, 
pity is not the way,
nor hypocritical cheer,
or cards that say "Get Well."
I know you
have REAL terrifying monsters inside,
as you fight, hoping for flight 
from the nightmare you live.
I've escaped your nightmare, 
at least for now,
and I'm secretly, humanly glad 
that I'm not you.

That ugly rainbow, with dark, dead colors
of fear tinges my thoughts a little,
but be assured 
not enough to overshadow
other rainbows I see
full of light, warmth, 
a kaleidoscope of love for you.

(For Poets United.)

11 comments:

  1. def honest in being glad you are not them...
    it is hard to find the right sentiment...but being glad when they are winning and being willing to cry with them when they are not...that rainbow image is pretty striking...

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  2. This is exactly how we feel......and I LOVE the kaleidoscopic rainbows of love you feel for your friend.

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  3. Wow! Exposing what so many--I am sure--feel inside! I can picture that rainbow, smeared in finger paint--so big that the cheerful rainbows seem to be hiding. Your poem reverses what we try to do, doesn't it? Brilliant!

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  4. I think it is hard to know what to say sometimes as we struggle
    to find the right words. I think most just want to know we care.

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  5. Sadly the person with cancer will change but we must not, we must still love, be friends with, be there for them as we were before and if possible do a little more to show we really care.

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  6. Such a very human dilemma. One I have faced. Will face. And I have never found an answer I am comfortable with.

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  7. So many emotions to deal with: horror, sadness, guilt, fear, wondering what to say, how to help... you've brought all that out.

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  8. Honest and open about our reactions.

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  9. I liked the ray of hope at the end..we'll definitely wash off that big, bleak rainbow...one day...

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  10. I think this is a wonderful and truthful poem and a truth that many of us would be not brave enough to voice...honesty truly is the best thing..very thoughtful poem

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  11. that rings familiar as i have a close friend who is battling cancer right now... and it's good to be just there for them...to listen - to hug - to encourage and to be just there

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