What could be worse?

When you get that call

And you just don’t know,

And you won’t know

For a month,

Nothing at all.

You take stock

Of life, and love,

And family,

And you begin to see

There are some things

That are worse things,

Worse than those words,

Diagnosis,

Prognosis.

The clouds part

And you see far,

Receive reminders,

Take off the blinders.

There is reason

In suffering

A season,

In reflecting,

Structuring neatly,

Gathering loose leaves

And lost dreams discreetly,

So the dear ones

May one day,

Part with you peacefully,

Ready to continue

Without much residue

Of you,

Interfering

Or bringing

Life too low,

When you go.

To me,

There are a few

Worse things

Than having cancer.

Like losing my soul,

Like,

Leaving things undone,

Like,

Losing my precious ones,

My lovely daughters and sons.

Maybe I won’t grow old,

But I won’t lose my soul.

Now I have my answer.

To me,

There are things much worse

Than cancer.