The Fiction of Stillness

These poems evoke the author's focus on finding respite during breast cancer treatment and recovery - the physical touchstones carried into the chemo ward, the calming touch of her daughter, cherry juice to offset the loss of taste, and an ongoing retreat to a nearby porch. This dialogue with cancer seeks to dispel fear and offer remedy, including the promise of milagros (miracles), the body's visible and invisible medical tattoos, the echo of lingering animals in her bloodstream and a renewed understanding of stillness and healing.