At the clinic

A child walks in -
hunched up, dragging her feet.

Parent follows, overburdened with bags.
A pillar of strength, both- in their own right,
join the families, waiting, waiting for their turn
for their turn to join the elite group of strength & perseverance.
To add one more visit,
one more poke, one more check-up,
to their long list of achievements.
They walk around the clinic, some like ninjas,
some on their wheelchairs, some wheeled in their radio flyers,
some kicking & screaming and dragging their feet —
mad at their caregivers, mad at their families,
mad at everything that lays eyes and hands on them.

A child walks in, sometimes it’s an in and out, or a few hours.

Sometimes it might take an entire day, or more.

—

When your child is diagnosed with cancer life as we know it completely changes. This poem was written in the oncology waiting at Bass center in Stanford Children’s Hospital, CA