Optimism in the Plight of Carcinoma

I feel a lump in the back of my throat.

There IS a lump in the back of my throat,

A metastasizing mess of malignancy.

It hurts, but not in the way one would think.

A few centimeters of tumor has nothing against the massive hearts that hold it for me.

My neck feels fine; my thyroid must be in their breaking faces.

However, I can change their outlook.

It is me, but I am not it.

It's composed of my own broken cells, but I've got a trillion good ones to go around.

The strong ones in the muscles of smiles.

The smart ones in the neurons that fire out jokes.

The beautiful ones in my retina, seeing this wonderful world.

It may be dark,

But it will not dampen the shining light

Of this one life.