originally for Ana.

for ana who lost her left breast at 4:23am Tuesday morning

breast cancer doesn't care if your 38 and ordered demi bras from the Fall issue of Victoria's Secret Catalog.

Or that the oaken tree outside your Grandparents home held a wooden swing whose ropes made marks on

your forearm. I had written a poem about survival, one of those "bearing witness m***********s" filled

with valorized testimony. Some real, heavy "Rocky Balboa against all odds s**t, but had to finish it

before the microwave beeped, as I opened the metal door to the smallest light in the world.

Recalled how Danny snuck a squeeze between roller coaster rides and elephant ears. It was so easy

to tell when you were pleased. But the day hurts a little brighter when we are stupid; when truth

and attestation are just secret names for being brave. Breastless is not branchless. Trees make

for such terrible analogies for our collective trauma, as we have all promised not to stare. Not

to pick from it's fragmented possibilities. Not to shade ourselves beneath  it's sorrow.

dana

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

This cannot be reviewed using just simple words. It comes from so deep inside that it clutches at the heart. I read today Sir Richard Francis Burton felt that some thoughts came from the being rather than the mind. I can find no fault in that. Especially after reading this. This is not just poetry; this is education in life.

[h d e rushin]

for the person who writes poetry Ken, sometimes words are all we have to offer. Thank you so much for stopping by my friend....dana

[Rainy420]

This is really beautiful and Anna is lucky to have someone put so much thought and beauty into the sharing of her pain. And victory.

[h d e rushin]

thank you so much my friend for those kind remarks....dana

[writing mojo]

the tie in of trees and flesh is brilliant, let alone the somber cadence with such stomping read between the lines.."when truth and attestation are just secret names for being brave." that is the very vessel some could float heart to heart on, magnetic electrical impulses of a survivor who gets it, not by just blood ending more then a chamber, but the embodiment of a soul fleshing to impulse..brilliant write

[h d e rushin]

I miss and respect you brother....dana

[Beccy]

We are a complex organism, at the whim of aberration more numerous than the stars. But such aberration is made more bearable both by the love of those who surround us and the resiliance and compassion of the human spirit; the heavenly component if you will, of mankind's non material being; which although impossible to quantify, is an incredibly powerful force.

Twenty five years ago at age sixty seven, my beloved grandma underwent a double masectomy; her only ever reference to this until she passed away just over a decade ago, being an occasional joke about it being cheaper to clothe herself.

As you say, breastless is not branchless.

Beccy.

[h d e rushin]

amazing words my dear friend Beccy. Thank you for stopping by to visit me. Dana

[emmajoy]

Tis said that empathy grows its own place on earth; your words do just that. They're a remedy, a salve, a comfy blanket that, at the right moment will be hugged into Ana's heart. What a beautiful post.

[h d e rushin]

thank you emmajoy for those kind words my friend.....dana

[LJW]

You make the world a better place.

[h d e rushin]

thank you LJW for stopping by my friend.....I've missed you...dana

[Elodie Thompson]

The sorrow was so captivating and urged one to read on. It's sad to think about this disease hurting so many people and causing them so much pain. Your encouraging words towards the end tied up the whole piece of writing and it was splendid.

[h d e rushin]

thank you Elodie for those kind words my friend....dana

[Elodie Thompson]

It was my pleasure Dana. It was wonderful to read.

[W.k.kortas]

I read this, and think about what you have said about poetry and its function and bearing witness, and how simple memory and the cataloguinig of events is not enough, and I think back to our old friend Crane and how in his work the universe did not give a good goddamn about us anyway. So I suppose an academic could harrumph and say all Donald-Trump like "Well, I guess this is a poem", and perhaps it is short of pretty iambs and other niceities, but what are they but window dressing or lipstick for a pig? This is life its ownself put into the context of what truly is, and what is more worthy than that?

[h d e rushin]

sometimes I get mushy. The very thought of surviving. Heroism. The puppy of any species. Dusk.
Carrying on in-spite of challenge. I am sure wk you can add to this list. Crane thought that being called a poet was too effete. (his words exactly). But i'm sure that even he would agree that mushy is
sometimes ok.

thank you my dear friend....dana

[kmartell]

Sincere, and gives the reader something and tells of sorrow, attitude, and is written for Truth.

[h d e rushin]

in your poem "Wind" there was this hammering theme of carrying on. Somehow, that no matter
what occurs, however the wind blows and shakes things poetically still, carrying on (black
coffee) takes us to the greater light. Thank you my friend for those kind words....dana

[Lydia Shutter]

The compassion in every line of this is stunning, Dana. Yes, "the day hurts a little brighter" when the reality of a friend's health hits us between the eyes. Ana is fortunate to have you in her corner. Her shadow may look different, but she is still the same person inside...where it counts. Real friends will know that and be at her side. Written from your heart and so very moving. Lydi**

[h d e rushin]

thank you Lydia for those words of compassion. And you're so right, when illness finds us, and itread morethank you Lydia for those words of compassion. And you're so right, when illness finds us, and it
will eventually find us all, what is needed most is a sense of normalcy. No staring. No pandering. and certainly
NO obsequiousness . Real friends know how to do this best......Love you....dana

[james miles]

this is brutal and written so beautifully...it's so hard and such a blessing to read.

[h d e rushin]

thank you James for those beautiful words my friend.....dana