Thread: Making Lemonade

Over three long years
I vied for a prize
that in the end failed
to materialize

Life as I knew it
will never resume
I'm stuck in Gram's body
sans her being exhumed.

Pale wrinkleless skin
belies woes deep inside
there's no renovating
what should have died

but pompous fools tried
led by a blind surgeon
they neglected to guide

with scalpels, staples
and radioactive scans
that left me uncured
but with glowing hands
a swell inclusion
to our blackout plan

added to the mix
are creaky joints
that squeal and pop
to make their point
pinched tin man's can
aids to anoint

and lungs too crippled
to fully inflate
whose battle for O2
will never abate
handy inhalers
momentarily sate

flesh so far older
than its numbered years
has since forgotten
how to produce tears
save for one or two
after abundant beers

but that's really okay
two drops thrice a day

we prefer dry eyes
in this stilted house
the fire's burned out
it's pointless to douse

no need to summon
trusty EMS
their efforts are fruitless
and prove paltry at best

let this body decay
slowly day by day
for I've found a way
to keep crazy at bay...



faulty flesh can't corrupt
my vigilant mind
where I'm happy and healthy
and still twenty-nine

Bravo sweetie! You finally posted one, and I must say, you haven't lost your touch for velvet barbs and not so velvet ones, too. Knowing a lot of the back story, I can easily see what you're saying here, I absolutely love the humorous opening of the first two stanza's, they set the stage well for what follows. I never cease to admire your ability to deal with your situation with humor and grace, and a touch of acid in just the right places. Welcome back, sis.

Ah, to be dubbed Sis by your kind lips is a gift indeed. I haven't posted in so long, I lost my chops somewhere along the way. My stupid well was bone dry for far too long and then when it finally produced a bucket, I was too scared to put it up. It's never easy to put up a new piece, but this one I wound up sitting on for two weeks. I'm so extremely elated you enjoyed, this is one of the last chapters in my messy situation, the whole thing has grown quite old and I look forward to putting it to rest permanently. I'm wondering if I should move it to Humor. I was torn because it's amusing but with a undercurrent of very serious. Now I'm thinking my choice of Structured may have been a poor one. In any case, I am so happy the acid is still flowing, without it, I wouldn't be me. Thanks so much, love, I needed that. Big hugs.

Not only did I enjoy this piece - so astute and to the point (no wasted words here) - but please use your following sentence in a new piece ... "My stupid well was bone dry for far too long and then when it finally produced a bucket, I was too scared to put it up." That so hits the spot!

My dearest Boddaert, so have most certainly made my day with "so astute and to the point", and I thank you with every iota of my being. I am afflicted with an incurable case of wordiness, although I can occasionally pump out a fairly succinct rhyme. But they are few and far between, so your words are a compliment of the greatest caliber. As for the sentence you cited, I'm honored you think it worthy of inclusion in a piece. It's funny how that works, one will be typing a reply or having a conversation, and either a written or uttered phrase will scream, "Use me in a piece, I swear I will be worth the effort." lol. It doesn't always come to fruition, but I'll plant the seed in the dark dirt that is my mind and see if anything grows. My sincere thanks again for both reading and your lovely reply.

Best,
Lisa

Unrepentant and without an ounce of self-pity. Inner strength beyond belief. The whole of life and more, and still, day by day it goes. From a fellow traveler to another, kudos.

very raw and real writing here - close to home
I can almost here all that medical equipment
and feel all the struggles
yet you keep your keen wit and humor in the end
nice
---todd

Dear arkayye, I am stunned silent by the kindness of your words. Please accept a heartfelt thank you, however paltry it seems to me, as there are no suitable words in the English language to express the depth of my gratitude.


Dear Todd, Very raw and real hits the nail on the head, and I am elated it could be perceived as such. That you could grasp so much from my silly words means the world to me and makes me feel a little less alone, and for that I could never thank you enough. Ofttimes, it's only the humor that keeps me going, laughter is surely better than tears. Truly appreciate your reading and the kindness of your reply.

Many blessing to you both,
Lisa

You certainly haven't lost your touch while you've been away. Your witty and dry humour is as entertaining as always. Title is abstract and sarcastic and I like it.

we prefer dry eyes
in this stilted house
the fire's burned out
it's pointless to douse

My favourite stanza and I relate to the feeling. I do like the last one as well, a good point to make, if not to say necessary.

You know me, normally I would suggest economizing, get to the bone and the essentials, but this time, maybe due to your leave, I really enjoyed this sort-of story-poem. And from knowing and reading you through almost four years now, you really sum up your situation nicely. So conclusion: no nits.

Oh, just maybe I think you're right, it shouldn't have been in the structured poetry board.

Nice to have you back my friend.

Martin

Pathos produces disillusion or Poetry! In your case it was a truly good poetry that demonstrates the 'will to live-on, with hope'. Keep it up.

Prabhakar.

Dearest Martin, Always the kindhearted soul. I finally did move it to Humor, but you already know that. You could have cited nits, but chose not to, which I thought was very considerate and touching. I just want to be done with it and telling the whole story in one fell swoop helped me put it behind me. Besides, you know I'm a hopeless blabbermouth who is allergic to economy, lol. I like the stanza you cited as well as the last one also, tears are a waste of valuable fluid and equally valuable sodium chloride, crying doesn't change reality. I could kiss you for mentioning the title, I am very fond of it, after all when life hands you lemons, the wise... Thank you so much, my dear friend.


Dear Prabhakar, I'll take the poetry over disillusionment any day, lol. Adversity certainly is a muse, however fickle. I'm elated you found it good and thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement.

All my best to you both.
Lisa

This rabbit... "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date." Sorry, Lisa, it took me so long to get to this gem.

I will echo Arkayye

Unrepentant and without an ounce of self-pity.

Not many could pull this off. Oh woe is me is so easy to slap on paper and just unbearable for me to read and your rhyming here is impeccable. Right from the very start! e.g.

Over three long years
I vied for a prize
that in the end failed
to materialize

Poem after poem, you never fail to amuse and enlighten me with your wit. But this wit also causes me to feel compassionate for your situation. You allow me to come up for air.

So extraordinarily gifted and strong. I am proud to call you friend.

Sorry right back, Law, for taking so long to reply. The kindness of your words has stunned me silent, love, and that's an almost impossible feat to pull off. Seriously, if I try to answer you properly, I'll blubber, can't have that now, can we? So I have to settle for a measly thank you with all my heart, I too, am proud to call you friend, you've blessed me infinitely.

Big hugs,
Me

Lisa - I am new to this Forum and am still trying to get to know every one as writers and as the special people that I am finding here...So when I get a chance to sit and read-I go back through the archives -and I found this piece..It took me awhile to respond because I was absolutely stunned-your courage shines through the well honed humor that you so skillfully wield .Your poem touched me in a personal level-having had Cancer-chemo-radiation -reconstruction-stuff taken off and things put back on.lost my hair and my sense of self -lost all control of my future and regained my freedom..You are awesome- I am completely humbled in the face of your courage..

I have so much to catch up on, I feel guilty replying to my own, but this I need to address right now. It is I who am humbled by your courage. Not cancer, love, just about everything under the sun, but not cancer, for which I am so grateful. I don't know that I could have dealt with that after watching my poor Daddy die. I am in awe of you, your strength most certainly surpasses mine. And you are so freaking together, may God continue to bless your belabored soul. Please know that you will be in my prayers eternally.

As for me, most people here know I'm not well, but few know why. My health, or rather lack of it, dictates what I can or cannot do. I figure it's time to put it out there since finding out it won't get any better. I think perhaps it will explain my absences as well as my crap attitude at times. So here goes, and whoever reads it, reads it. I was diagnosed with the arthritis at age 11, it's old news, but the older I get, the more it cripples me. It's everywhere now, including my spine and both jaws. I'm always in pain, but I'm used to it. I managed the best I could, but in January 2008 I came down with diverticulitis, which I knew, and the doc insisted it was something else. Long story short, I ended up with a perforated colon which proceeded to die and rot inside me. It poisoned my entire system, I had full blown sepsis, peritonitis, and had emergency surgery to remove the dead six inches of colon and I got a fancy colostomy. Not nice. Then I came down with double pneumonia. All should have killed me, yet here I write. God showered me with His gracious favor.

Five weeks after being released, I was back in, dying again, complete kidney failure, infected liver, dehydrated to the point of death, massive hernia as the internal sutures failed and my guts were spilling out, acute gastritis, duodenal ulcer, both of which I get to keep for life as the peritonitis destroyed my stomach lining. Again, I didn't die, and they couldn't figure me out, called me a miracle, again God saw fit to keep me here. At that time, they thought the lesions on my liver were cancer so I had to go through all the testing, worst week of my life. In September 2008, the colostomy was reversed and my colon was reconnected. It worked, thank the good Lord. But the idiots cut through my navel as opposed to around it and it got infected. Eight months with a suppurating wound, and now I look like an alien. They repaired the hernia, but again, it failed. This past November I had surgery to repair what was now a triple hernia, looked six months pregnant so much of my guts had spilled out. I was supposed to have mesh installed, no go. It turns out both my stomach wall and fascia are gone and there's nothing left to attach mesh to. The infections literally rotted me away. So, now I'm stuck with only my severely scarred skin holding in my guts and I'll look pregnant for the rest of my life. Then this past January I lost my health insurance so now I'm a ticking time bomb. So there you have it, less all the little crap that went wrong along the way.

Without the humor, I'd be in an asylum, literally. It is what it is, so I can only poke fun at what I can't change. It makes those bitter pills (which cost an arm and a leg, but they're about useless anyway, so the joke's on them, lol) a little easier to swallow. My eternal thanks my dearest Jul, you have just helped me liberate some of my demons for which I will be indebted to you for the rest of my life. Please be well, hon, and know that my prayers are with you.

Big bear hugs,
Me