The Body Knows
February 21st, 2007 by 
dani
An invincible body taut from exercise,
sweat dripping from temples to asphalt.
Two years ago—only nineteen—immortal.
My legs breezed me past a spot on the road
where a bird lay, the life knocked out of it.
Life oozed out and spread itself on the tar.
I stopped in my tracks, not wanting death
to ooze out on me, corrode my hands,
invade my body, spread over me like a fungus.
I ran away breathless and cowardly,
but I couldn’t outrun the shadow
of that bird in my conscience.
Now, I wince in the fluorescent light
of my hospital room, immobilized
against the odor of sanitized sheets.
Bit by bit, the cancer hollowed me out,
dug a canyon inside me that echoes
when I scream my despair across it.
The disease evicted me from my body,
a pale shell with sunken eyes,
bloated cheeks and awkward limbs.
I’m merely a tangential witness
to its destruction, its disintegration,
waiting for the paralyzing, maddening pain to end.
Relief. I’d hoped death would come like this.
Just a body turning cold after too much running,
waiting for a familiar bird to raise me on its wings.
Posted in Poetry | 
February 21st, 2007 at 10:11 pm
This is a poetic adaptation of a previous prose piece I wrote, “Running to Fly”, in honor of Poetry Thursday’s theme this week: The Body Knows. Personally, I think I prefer this version.
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 am
This is a pwerful piece, especially the lines: ‘a canyon inside me that echoes
when I scream my despair across it’. I liked the way the image of the bird recurs, first as an image of despair and then again as an image of hope.
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:28 am
Wow, moving stuff. Incredible metaphors which really add depth. And sad too.
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Brilliant writing. I feel sorrow and despair. Also hope and renewal perhaps. (((hugs)))
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Excellent piece of write.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
The transitioning from health to illness, from life to death, from fear to acceptance- incredible…
Just incredible…
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:25 pm
How very powerful. I gave me chills.
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:24 pm
This is powerful, and heart-breaking. No matter how invincible we feel, we’re just - not.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Interesting to picture the cancer as a canyon, a hollowing-out thing, as I usually think of it as an over-stuffed, overgrown thing. I like the images you use here.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:01 pm
This is a very sadening poem. I really enjoyed reading it. I bet those seem like opposites, those first two sentences I wrote, but that’s me. You used the phrase in a great way to make a work of art. I am glad I am not invinsible but being in a hospital is never fun. However I never want it to end. I will be back-your page is wonderfully put together.
February 24th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
This is a powerful and profound poem. Wow!
February 25th, 2007 at 7:04 am
This comparison is strong and moving. Lovely piece.
February 27th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
How achingly beautiful and poignant. The transition from “immortal” to “hollowed out” is painfully well done.