By Neil Vincent Scott
she is not as pretty
as she used to be
just a few short months ago
yet now
she is so much more beautiful
sparkling and shining
with the illuminating colors of courage
and unrelenting grit
having run the gauntlet
through the canyons of chemo
drinking from the chalice of changes
celebrating the various wigs
the cute little hats
the steadfast optimism
tenacious and tireless
in the face of changes and challenges
she’ll be pretty again
pretty soon
her hair will come back
her skin will come alive
her appetite will return
her energy will be restored
life reclaimed
with new breasts
a lasting testament
to a battle fought and won
surrounded by family and friends
overflowing with encouragement and love
mostly love
her soul deep beauty
will magnify
day by day
with that smile that she never left behind
despite being caught in the crossfire
between courage and cancer
from diagnosis to discharge
her weapons were always loaded
with Taxol
Herceptin
Zoloft
and daily doses of letrozole
like her
I have bled the blood of faith and hope
counting blessings
not problems
refusing to accept defeat
having been in this war before
with scars that cover my heart
knowing the only way out
is all in
up, over and through
navigating the labyrinth
of blood draws
doctor appointments
disappointments
sleepless nights
temperatures that rose and fell
we balanced the weight
against the wait
standing steadfast
side by side
celebrating courage and consequence
knowing that storms precede the sunshine
ever comes the sun
through the darkness of the night
through the questions that remain unanswered
the memories that continually haunt
and the dreams yet to be fulfilled
ever comes the sun
for beauty and the breasts
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