Poetry can express the emotions of living with cancer
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/poetry-and-cancer/MY02250
- With Mayo Clinic nurse educator
Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
Sheryl M. Ness
Sheryl Ness, R.N., O.C.N., is a nurse educator for the Cancer Education Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She helps inform patients, families and caregivers about services and resources to help them through the cancer journey.
She has a master's degree in nursing from Augsburg College. In addition, she is an assistant professor of oncology at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and is certified as a specialist in oncology nursing. Sheryl has worked for more than 20 years at Mayo Clinic as an educator. She has a keen interest in the importance of the quality of life and concerns of people living with cancer.
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Living with cancer blog
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Oct. 6, 2012
Poetry can express the emotions of living with cancer
By Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
Each of us has our own way of gaining positive energy to get through the day. When faced with a diagnosis of cancer, the little things become even more important. It could be your favorite music, a comfortable chair, your best friend, a pet that keeps you company or the sunshine streaming in through the window.
Recently, I began exploring poetry and found that as I was reading, I gained a peek into the author's thoughts and their view of life. Poetry can seem like a simple collection of words, but it expresses deep emotions and complex thoughts.
We've not done this before, but I thought it would be interesting to try sharing a few lines of poetry with each other to gain insight into the emotions of living with cancer. In this way, you'll know that you aren't alone.
Here are some thoughts that I put into poetry in the form of a haiku.
The wind blows the scent
from my grandmother's wild rose.
I feel love, hope, peace.
Please share your poetry on the blog with each other. Write about your emotions, feelings, fears, hopes and dreams. Don't worry about form or structure, just write what you feel. Spend 5-10 minutes quietly thinking and see what images or words come to your mind. When the time feels right, let the words flow.
Follow me on Twitter at @SherylNess1. Join the discussion at #livingwithcancer.
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