A Visit To Oncology Is A Serious Affair - by Susie Hemingway

People’s eyes tell their story
as sitting quietly deep in thought,
magazines remain unread,
heads often bow in contemplation.
A visit to Oncology is a serious affair,
the television that no-one watches
or at least in glancing view
doors that often open
but never seem to be for you.
Faces flushed in anxious stares,
no one likes sitting here
on daily wiped plastic chairs.

The receptionist whose eyes
seem not to engage,
that must be thinking of supper
with her lover or of special days,
perhaps of summer holidays spent
in some sunny Costa’s far away…

You wait thinking best thoughts and
then into the ‘hands clean zone’
weak smiles greet you there,
no holidays for the many connected
to their life lines,
some sucking lollies that cool the fire
that hopefully will cure all,
a visit to Oncology is a serious affair.

The “ding ding dongs” of bleepers
tell in never ending harmony
a different ‘chemo story’ for
those sweet worried faces
sitting here, some of fear;
their eyes resigned to all
that fate may bring.
I look at the signs around the suite
telling of special wigs and treats,
the cleverly placed plaque above my head
that reads
“God give me the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change”
so beautifully written in perfect
flowing Italic hand by someone
who perhaps also spent many hours in this room.

I smile across at the lady opposite me,
her face lights up but
her weary eyes tell me more,
she says “ I’ve seen you before,
it’s a long haul isn’t it? "
Yes” pretty lady with the pink ribbon
on the black scarf covering your head
“it’s a long haul but one we will win”
I shall look for her next week
and pray she is there….

A visit to Oncology is a serious affair….


A Chemo Poem - All rights reserved.@2010