Hope turns black, turns black with night,
Hand turns white, turns white with cold,
Mind turns blank, turns blank with the thought
Of death on the doorstep knocking, banging:
Turn black, turn white, turn blank, turn fraught,
Black with the night,
White with the cold,
Blank with death that seems so stark,
And tears shed on pillow when all is dark.
This poem is inspired by Allen Curnow’s Wild Iron. It’s always when we wake up in the middle of the night that the darkest thoughts appear and irrational thinking comes to the fore.
September 2023 is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. It is also Child Cancer Awareness Month. Every day 10 children in the UK are diagnosed with cancer. Of those lucky enough to survive, many will have long-term side-effects that may significantly impact their lives forever.
I am posting one poem per day to recognise this and raise money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. This charity provides sailing and other outdoor adventures for children and young people aged 8-24 who have been treated for cancer. But it’s more than that. There’s a package of support around this including siblings, return trips, volunteering opportunities and so on. The Trust also works hard to ensure their work is environmentally sustainable. You can make a donation HERE!
So true, night thoughts can be tortuous.