Harriet Harris circa November 13th, 1935 - ~ May 4th, 2005

(untimely death sentence ordained ~ early February 1935)

Test teasing prophylactics embarrassing

purchase never made at local drugstore

unsurprisingly, obviously, invariably...

birth control taboo subject, best to ignore

subsequently intercourse awkwardly coordinated,

consummated, completed extempore

hence bun in the oven bon jure

yielded unicellular spore

while in utero ~ early/mid

February I ain't exactly sure

nineteen hundred thirty five - dirt poor

Harriet Harris, fourth, last born

fetched vicinity Coney Island offshore

by stork, became favorite progeny begat

courtesy Morris, and then swore

celibacy forever more

Rebeckah Kuritsky heretofore

harbored inchoate genetic fore

boded, encoded, inscribed

deadly mutations housed,

fetched, dispatched and bore

flawed BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes sketched

affecting circumscribing her allotted mortality

orbitz equaling about three and a half score

unknowingly, unsuspectingly, unwittingly,

her biologic fatal demise indelibly etched.

Breast cancer first brush

sounded death knell

Harriet approximately clocked fifty plus

underwent grueling radiation

plus chemotherapy

carcinoma eradicated allowed,

enabled, provided breathing spell

reprieve accentuated, galvanized, punctuated...

newfound zealous zest almost

nothing could quell

significance pray tell

new lease on life to sell

lib berate cherish, relish, whish

each precious moment

thwarting pell mell

adversity with bon vivant elan

and gusto to issue rebel yell

kickstarting, making breast

livingsocial aye bell,

especially after despite... er... well

her double mastectomy,

she looked fabulously swell

courtesy silicon implants

slight downside reconstituted

racked busty bosom

susceptible to ooze gel.

Many years post remission telltale

diagnosis, viz ovarian,

despite requisite hysterectomy

emotionally did impale,

she instinctually, intuitively,

invariably, yet quiver and quail

against impending demise 24/7 did assail

guardian angel(s) of no avail,

nor did yours truly proffer nurturance

resentment smoldering within this male

red hot poker anger lambasting me

peppered with ultimatums to vamoose,

never got resolved ensuing estrangement

deterred reaching out to embrace,

hearing raspy fading breaths exhale,

miserably tethered with tubes

when she did severely pine ail

and grievously bewail

corporeal essence ashen pale

awkwardly, helplessly, stupidly... I stood

formidable grim reaper foe whisked mother

to Elysian fielded dale.