Lynette

So cancer found me kneeling by the bed
of roses in my garden - I work hard
to raise 'em just like children. Damn, you bet
I know the meaning of invasion. Yards
and families need a fence around them. So
I guard the borders, watch the exits, keep
a detailed list of things I can't control.
My Tom, he's such a softy, starts to weep
in chemo, just like when the twins were born.
As if this body were unused to wear
and tear! True beauty's baggy, loose, well-worn
with years of wash: I know. I've done my share
of laundry, felt the heat of love's machine,
the steady thump of all that's good and clean.