On Diagnosis - tanka string

Touch: The Journal of Healing

On Diagnosis - tanka string *

by Naomi Beth Wakan

on diagnosis

time changed for her

each moment

became the only one and

each space stretched to the horizon

as pain

invaded her life

and only then

did she realize a certain meaning

that gave sense to nonsense

plans and goals

disappeared with fatigue

all that was left.

a vague sense of self and

of the seasons passing

all she knew

was one anxiety

the anxiety

that maybe she had never been true,

true to herself that is

on diagnosis

we rush around

nudging our lives.

doing something makes

most things bearable

* previously published in the anthology, As One Cradles Pain

Naomi Beth Wakan has published over 40 books. Her essays and poetry are in Late Bloomer-on writing later in life, Composition: notes on the written word, Bookends - a year between the covers, and A Roller-coaster ride - thoughts on aging (Wolsak and Wynn).