Metamorphosis Poem by Dan Hanosh

her silken fibers worn by the wind and rain
cling to her feeble shoulders a painted facial
tautness grainy as parchment screams for the sun’s
sweet rays her smile beams brightly clover among
us weeds yet we are reassured

as I sit watching knowing that I’m gazing upon
something very special a nurse moves nimbly toward
her greets her a warming welcome as if she is her
new best friend my eyes stare a frozen gaze
never moving as they hug happily

quietly she slips a folded piece
of paper into the other’s open hand and
gestures toward a thin silent man sitting
across the way his head rises upward
and instantly I know

my eyes scream out from the salty liquid
I don’t remember my tears streaming only the
man a husband a survivor suddenly I couldn’t
stop grinning for him for all the others
a shadowy movement thwarts my thoughts

a figure from along the wall sneers his crooked
toothless smile everyone sitting next to him
their faces light majestically as did those
stretching in the center seats for we all know
he is CANCER FREE.