ON CHEMOTHERAPY 1, July 1998

The streets lay shrouded in a cloak of mist
Which softly covered the sharpness and the darkness
Of Black Mountain, hidden now but
Rearing still its beauty in the darkness.
Suddenly a golden globe rose slowly
Behind that huddled mass of cowering trees,
Brilliantly blazing, blindingly beautiful,
Orange and red breaking through that
Covering of early morning iciness.
It lit the tower with unearthly light,
Making of that man-made monstrosity
A testament to God’s graciousness
In giving us the beauty of this earth,
To form a glimpse of glory in this
Structure we had so resented and opposed –
Reaching up to heaven and giving
Me a sign of the joy to come
After this last invasion of intrusive chemicals
Into my weary body. What wonder
That instant of the rising sun brought me –
Sheer happiness. Oh! How we should
All grasp those moments and hoard them
For our hours of darkness when they can
Relieve and liven them and give us joy unending.

JEB

For more information on these poems, contact edmund@balnaves.org