C-ancer-athartic Poems

By Andrew Glen

A book of poetry containing poems I wrote during and after my cancer treatment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrew Glen
• Release date: Nov 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393898221

Andrew Glen

In 2008 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and I underwent two years of treatment including chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In January of 2010 I had my bladder removed and thankfully I have been cancer free since then.  In 2014 I self-published my memoir “Beating the Odds”, A Chronicle of a Cancer Survivor’s Battle with Cancer, Inadequate Healthcare and Social Injustice. Unlike most cancer survivor success stories, my book differs because it provides the reader with a poignant look into the trials and tribulations that all cancer patients have to deal with above and beyond their treatment. Since then I have gone on to publish: “The Reporter” a unique and poignant story given the current events and public sentiment. It is a fast-paced tale of a tormented woman reporter, who accidentally kills a man in self-defence on her way home from work one night. She soon discovers that the man was a war vet living on the street, facts that are shockingly similar to her own dad’s situation. “After The Sun Rises” a sequel to “The Reporter”. After a car accident leaves Jill and her family devastated they must deal with the aftermath with the help of an unsuspecting helper. The woman who caused the accident. “The Grotto and Other Stories” a collection of short stories based on real life events. “C-ancer-athartic poems” a book of poetry containing poems I wrote during and after my cancer treatment. “Eli and the Fisherman” a heartwarming children’s book that tells the story of a young boy and an old fisherman. “Sebastian’s Fish” a delightful children’s story about a boy who goes to buy his first fish. “Didi’s Demise” in “Sebastian’s Fish” Sebastian bought his first fish. Now the family are getting a cat-Charlie-. What will that mean for poor Didi? Read to find out. *Note: All children’s books were illustrated by the incredible Jonathan (JJ) Anderson.*

Book preview

Table of Contents

C-ancer-athartic Poems

The Clinic

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I can’t stand the smell in here,

Knocks you off your feet, as the door slowly opens

The stench, the odour,

Antiseptic, disinfectant, ammoniaotic

Smells like defeat, smells like death.

Emanates up from the floor and the carpets,

Left there by the many feet that walked upon it.

Some of whom never, walked out again.

Oozes out of the walls and the bodies that sit restless within them.

They are trying to save us with poison.

I mean medicine

I always get that part wrong.

A hope and a prayer is all that we’ve got

Don’t forget to wash your hands.

Stop the spread of germs.

Stop the spread of disease.

Put your mind at ease.

But we’re all dying anyways

Against our own wishes.

No one can put a stop to his will.

But still we pray for a magic pill.

Some are content to see the almighty sooner or later.

Some don’t believe there is a creator.

Me I don’t care one way or another.

Is there a God?

No point in worrying.

That’s what the sign on St. Clair Avenue said.

There probably is a God, so stop worrying.

We all reach our fateful day sooner or later,

Despite what we try.

We all live

We all die

It may result in pearly gates

Or ashes on the ocean floor.

Scientists spent millions of hours to discover the Higgs boson,

Trying to unlock the mystery of the universe, our origins

The God particle they called it,

Only to discover, that it wasn’t,

Only to discover, that it couldn’t explain creation,

Only to discover, that all life has a mass or matter,

They spent ten billion dollars on the machine 

They had to discover something I guess

Still it leaves the question unanswered

Is there a god?

Right now I haven’t got time to think about that

Maybe later

For now, go ahead.

Insert the needle; fill my veins full of poison.

I mean medicine.

I always get that part wrong.

A hope and a prayer is all that we’ve got

I’m living for others now, not just for myself.

Baby is screaming at the back of the bus.

Dylan’s Time out of Mind is playing in my head

How apropos as I’m going out of mine.

All things happen for a reason, that’s what they said.

What’s the reason for this?

Birds in the trees sing sweet songs.

Probably still will long after I’m gone.

Sing to my children and their children too.

Time will keep on ticking when I’m done here

Hopefully I will wake in the morning.

Each day is a blessing this we are told.

But that goes back to what I said before.

Some can’t wait to see the almighty sooner than later.

Some don’t believe there is a creator.

Me I am not really sure if there is or there isn’t.

But I will still pray that someone will save me.

At least for one more day.

To do all things I wanted to do

But never had time for.

To do all the things I said I would do

But never got round to.

To right all the wrongs and those that I hurt.

Give me one more day,

Before you lay me down in the dirt.

Before you all put on