She has a pretty face.

Her face is not framed by the hood she turns up against the cold

Her face is not framed by the hats she dons in the sun

Her face is no longer framed by curls or straight tresses.

Her face is framed by elegance.

The elegance cancer couldn't take away.

Her face is framed by smiles and tears when she thinks no one sees.

But most of all her face is framed by elegance, and a thought of mystery.

Cancer is not a beautiful thing,

But she is not her disease

Cancer will not claim her spirit

Even if it claims her mind,

Even if it claims her life,

Quietly, she looks at the world.

Inwardly she fights in never ending ravaging silence,

But her face is framed by elegance.

The elegance of her heart that cancer can't take away.