Category: Writing and Poetry
A Lane All Your Own
By Carla Hood
It's neither life in the fast lane, nor life in the slow lane
It's life in a lane all your own
Where you find out your strength, bravery, courage and more
Where you learn you can't do it alone
The words come so swiftly, their force like none other
"Your child has cancer, you see."
The rug has been pulled from right 'neath your feet
Your hope is that this cannot be
Your heart skips a beat, your knees start to tremble
You sit before you fall down
Your mind is spinning, your stomach is churning
Your face is all scrunched in a frown
You gather your wits, you take a deep breath
You pray for God's touch from above
Because the fight for a life, your daughter, your son
Is going to take more than just love
It's a journey ongoing, a long road ahead
But a trial God thinks we can face
All the tests and needles, the IVs and tubes
How'd we end up in this place?
The doctors and nurses, the surgery and chemo
Is there light at the end of the tunnel
The ups and the downs of this cancer coaster
The feel of being sucked through a funnel
You see little warriors, bearing big battle scars
Each scar speaks a story so well
It's the tough cancer fighter, with God on his side
Telling cancer to go back to hell
But cancer doesn't ever abide by the rules
A cheap shot, then told of relapse
You feel the breath rush from your lungs in a gust
Thinking of "what ifs" and "perhaps"
We're left with the question of what next to do
Is there something we haven't tried yet
Radiation, antibodies, more chemo or what
On what should we place the next bet
We fight all the harder, a route we must take
There's no question, not even a doubt
It's the fact that we haven't but one way to go
It's our future we can't do without
The journey might show a happy ending or sad
It may close with the greatest heartbreak
But we must plod on, until this war is won
Because we know just what's at stake
September 9, 2008
Carla Hood
*In honor of those who've not only earned their wings far toosoon, but for those still fighting,
those who have survived, those who have yet to be diagnosed AND for the families of any
child that has ever been touched by this monster called Childhood Cancer!"*
Originally Posted Aug 4/10)