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

untimely death sentence ordained

approximately six months prior
to mother dearest celebrating

her seventieth birthday,
though the last three years of her life

impacted courtesy hysterectomy

to remove malignant growth,
which severely limited
mobility of once vivacious
former Arthur Murray
ballroom dance teacher
when she exuded youthful innocence.

The remaining lines comprising

following reasonable rhyme
crafted quite so many moons ago

exhibit exemplary codified cobbled attempt
to communicate belated filial declaration.

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

silently beckoning sole son
never knowing extent she did ail

and after seventeen plus years ago

still grievously, necessarily,

and unquestionably bewail

corporeal essence ashen pale

awkwardly, helplessly, stupidly... I stood

formidable grim reaper foe whisked mother
to Elysian fielded dale.