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Safe Slice

By Lynne Goldklang, MA, MFT

This poem is by Lynne Goldklang, MA, MFT, who is a breast cancer survivor, a licensed therapist, public speaker, contributor to the book Chocolate for a Woman's Soul* and co-author of Count It as a Vegetable and Move On.* She wrote this creative reaction to her mastectomy a week after she came home.

[* NOTE: By clicking on the title and buying this book from Amazon.com, you help support LPO.]

Safe Slice

When I was two I left my

baby doll in the park.

Her name was Angel and she could

cry real tears.

When I was six I lost my

best marble shooter,

the one with ripe red flecks jetting through it.

Ten-year-old me dropped two bucks

playing Gin 'cause Georgie cheated.

Gave Tommy my heart at thirteen

but he didn't want it.

(Does that count as loss or

just misplacement?)

Does losing face count?

Does losing place count?

Losing a breast wasn't so bad --

I didn't die.

Left the hospital after one day

Never did lounge

in my red silk kimono and

devour junk novels.

I did win

a trip to the boob store to find

the prostheses (rhymes with Jesus)

of my dreams--didn't know they came

in kinds--31 flavors.

Which chest do you favor?

I adore my new toy breast.

The best part is sex.

If I'm hot and he's not

I can whip out the port-a-part

and play by myself --

Wonder if there's a Wonder Bra for

half-wonders? Wonder where

my breast (MY breast) went?

Did God surgeon lose it

or throw it away? Was his knife

disposable; did he practice

safe slice?

The other day I misplaced my

glasses--can't live without my specs. . .

purse. . .

keys. . .

Guess I'll never lose my sense of humor

I just wish I knew where I put it.

© Copyright 1996, Lynne Goldklang, MA, MFT