The Poems

When Professor Kronenberg visited our class and shared some poems with us I knew immediately that I wanted to write as part of my Arts in Healing final project. When she asked us to write two poems about ourself, one from the "I" perspective and another from the "she" perspective I had no trouble writing but I cried through both.

My sister in law had just passed away just 6 days before and my family and I had spend the whole weekend at the wake and funeral.

Although the poems were supposed to be about us the only words I could find where ones to describe the intense pain I felt at her loss.

The poems are below and I am still working on her story.

Her name was Stacie and she was only 27 years old. She died of a rare form of cancer called Osteosarcoma and Chondrasarcoma. Please visit the link I have provided of a cancer blog that discusses this terrible disease.

Poem #1

My heart aches

My heart races

It is raw

and the pain is all I feel now

The butterflies in my stomach land and take off again

Tiny bumps break out up and down my arms.

My hair stands on end.

I've been here before.

Too many times.

I know in time

the pain will ease, the butterflies will fly away for good

and all I will have left

is the memories of you

And the rainbow you once brought to my life.

Poem #2

She seems so strong
yet so soft
Rigid, Unwavering
Yet soothing and comfortng
She wants more
yet settles for less
She hides her aching
She thinks
Yet tears fall without thought
She hopes for better
but knows better
She always comes through
then cries alone
she is certain every time
it will be different now
Yet there is more pain, more death, more suffering
She wants time to pass
so healing can begin
She wants time to stand still
so no one else can pass
She wants to go back
And see you again
if only for one more smile
that you always brought her way.

Healing lesson #3
I do not pretend to know everything about life. And I do not understand why our loved ones seem to be taken so soon but I do know we have one life to share and every day that we do not use it to do something to heal another person or ourselves is just a wasted opportunity for growth.