The Visitor

Blood Lines Poem 23

Come in Sadness, leave your heavy shoes at the door

Here! Take my comfy slippers.

Thank you for your wilted flowers.

In a vase with sugared water, they will revive

and survive a few days more.

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Go! Explore my house whilst I put on the kettle

Watch out for my friend, Courage, taking a bath

soaking in Sorrow, she will entice you

To share her space and may try to drown you,

the warm soapy water hiding bubbles from your mouth

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Must you leave now? So soon you are on your way!

Courage and I like to waltz through each room

teaching each other dance steps around the furniture.

I will press your fading flowers to capture

Your brief, forgettable stay.

This is another poem inspired by my creative journaling sessions. We were discussing the poem “The Guest House” by Rumi. Yet somehow this poem ended up very different in feel - is it even a revenge poem? The emotions experienced throughout diagnosis, treatment, recovery, relapse are huge. Finding ways of acknowledging and accepting these, whilst trying to carry on with “normal” living is not always easy. Writing poetry helps me find a way.

Flynne’s Barn is a place where young people living with cancer can come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings and provides a range of immersive outdoor and creative experiences. I am sharing one poem per day during September 2022 to raise money for this charity. To DONATE, visit my GO FUND ME page. Many thanks.

The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes is an organisation of bikers who transport blood, platelets, samples, surgical instruments, human donor milk and many other clinical products across the UK & Ireland. All the member groups are all staffed by unpaid volunteers, who provide this service to the NHS, free of charge - an out-of-hours 'medical essentials' courier service to hospitals An amazing example of behind the scenes volunteering that is saving lives of blood cancer and other patients.