Alyss

Smiling

Breaking inside and out

Pretending

This is the New Alyss

Laughing

Joking

Softball

Hair guru

Who she used to be.

Cancer.

Cancer is a bitch.

Chemo. 

No hair.

skinhead.

She's too tired for softball.

She feels too much pain

when she laughs.

And the jokes stopped being funny.

She can't share hair secrets

when her own is lost.

And she's losing it to Cancer.

Alyss? Are you there?

In that intruder of a girl?

Or is Cancer all you are.

I cry for her

for me.

For the intruder, the thief

sucking away her strength

And I wish

I

was Alyss.

Smiling

Breaking inside and out

Pretending

And that she

was laughing

Joking

Softball

Hair guru

Who she used to be.