May 26, 2003The C Word
Lola Ferris
Once they turned their faces to the wall
the shh and the hush
the unspoken word they were our grandmothers
our mothers
hopeless
helplessnow they are our daughters
In charge of their bodies
in charge of their lives
speaking words once censored
lesion, tumor, chemo
words we hoped never to hear them utter
hurry for their treatments
run on to their careers
clad in their super sneakers
wear their illness like a badge
funky hats
butch cutswriting poetry
keeping journals
sending e-mail
to those in tight circles surrounding them
who warm them with love
reading their faces
radiant with youthnot facing the wall
facing outward
facing the sunLola Ferris
2003