Nine Squares
In morning breeze bandanas dance
Upon my washing line
Bright squares of cloth against blue sky
The pieces number nine.
Discovered, bought and sent to me
By mother, cousin, friend
They have been lying in my drawer
My treatment at an end.
Another woman needs them now
Though she has not met me
A friend of hers is friend of mine
And asked if they were free.
So sorry she has need for them
I'm glad to make the gift
I hope that in tough times ahead
They give her heart a lift.
Sun-warmed and dry, I take them down
And as each one I fold
I think: If I had magic powers
What blessings would they hold?
The first of them contains a wish
For doctors smart and kind
And nurses who bring calm and cheer
While veins they quickly find.
Two shields her from the toxins' power
Keeps side-effects at bay
And lets her eat the food she loves
For strength along the way.
The third square hides a bunch of flowers
Some DVD box sets
Stacked freezer meals, a movie pass -
The treats I hope she gets.
The fourth reveals a gentle path
Well-blessed with birds and trees
And time for walks where she draws strength
From sunshine and the breeze.
Cloth number five seems empty, but
Its stillness is its gift
Space of her own when she needs peace
Through troubled thoughts to sift.
Cloth six is an enchanted cloak
Its warmth she can keep near
When all seems bleak its soft embrace
Will bring relief from fear.
Unfolding Seven blinds one as
Light bursts into the room
Bright rays of hope to bask in when
Her days seem filled with gloom.
Bandana eight falls open as
Within it shoulders shove
It's crammed with friends and family who
Bring laughter, help and love.
Cloth nine never got ironed, lost
In joyful family strife
This bright and crumpled headscarf holds
Long, healthy, vibrant life.
For T.
[This is cross-posted from a blog that I'm keeping about my experiences with breast cancer and life in the NT, at www.paw-paw-salad.com . Please drop by and say hi some time!]
