A Tanka Sequence
by: Kirsten Cliff, NZ
& Pamela A. Babusci, USA
a breakfast
of pills & cold toast
out the hospital window
this world i used to know
passing me by
who am i
trapped in this body
invaded with cancer?
looking at the infinity of stars
i touch the hand of grace
still unsure
of how long this ordeal
will last . . .
the stories i tell myself
between waves of nausea
losing all my hair
from chemo... the stories i tell myself
between waves of nausea
losing all my hair
gaining
more humility & compassion
on my life's journey
a new awareness
of my inner strength—
free in the wind
these Tibetan prayer flags
frayed, but full of colour
Kirsten Cliff is a Leukaemia cancer survivor
& Pamela A. Babusci is an Ovarian cancer survivor
Published in Skylark 1:2, Winter 2013
You can now download a FREE copy of Skylark 1:1, Summer 2013 here. This tanka journal edited by Claire Everett is hands-down my favourite thing on the haikai scene. Have a read for yourself! :-)
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