LYMPHOMANIA REDUX the book

LYMPHOMANIA REDUX


The book

By

FRANK A VOLLMER

LYMPHOMANIA REDUX

THE ENEMY IS BACK

IT NEEDS STRONGER MEDICINE

TO KEEP IT AT BAY

IT’S HARSH ON MY LOVED ONE

AND ME

BUT I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE

TO PRAY FOR RECOVERY

OR REMISSION

WHEN THERE ARE MOTHER’S WITH SICK CHILDREN

AND NO INSURANCE

WAR VETERANS

WHO TREMBLE AT LOUD NOISES

LOOKED DOWN ON BY THOSE THEY FOUGHT FOR

WHILE THE POOR HAVE WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE

REDUCED FURTHER

WHILE TAXES ARE NOT PAID

OR UNDERPAID

BY THE WEALTHY

BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATION

NO I HAVE ALWAYS PRAYED

GOD’S WILL BE DONE

I DO NOT THINK IT IS GOD’S WILL

FOR THE EXAMPLES I GAVE

PLUS MANY MORE

FINALLY

JESUS SAID

WHATSOEVER YOU DO

TO THE LEAST OF MY BRETHREN

THAT YOU DO UNTO ME

BALANCE THAT AGAINST THE SELFISH

THE TREASURE KEEPER’S

WHICH ONE IS MORALLY ACCEPTABLE

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CHEMO

THE INTRAVENOUS BOTTLE

HOLDING THE WITCH’S BREW

OF HEALING BROTH

DRIPS SLOWLY INTO THE VIAL

THEN THROUGH THE TUBING

TO A NEEDLE

STUCK IN MY CHEST

THE SUNLIGHT

CATCHES THE DROPS

 MAKES THEM GLOW

A  DESIGNER DRUG

TO KILL THE CANCER

BUT LET THE GOOD CELLS ALONE

LIKE GRACE SLIDING INTO A SOUL

ERASING THE SIN

BUT LEAVING THE SINNER WHOLE

THE DOCTOR SAYS

A GOOD ATTITUDE

ACCOUNTS

FOR FIFTY PERCENT

OF THE MEDICINE’S EFFECTS

A REPENTANT HEART

OH GOD

YOU WILL NOT DESPISE

CURE ME GOD

OF THAT WHICH IS CURABLE

AS FOR THE REST

PUT A NEW

A RIGHT SPIRIT

WITHIN ME

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SUPPORT GROUPS

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE DAMIAN

WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HIS SICKNESS

BY SAYING

WE LEPERS

THERE IS A BOND THAT GOES OUT

TO ALL ASSEMBLED

THAT SAYS

THIS IS SOMEONE FAMILIAR

WITH WHISTLING

PAST GRAVEYARDS

WE ARE MANY

YOUNG

OLD

MARRIED

SINGLE

CHRISTIAN

JEW

WHATEVER

WE ARE DIFFERENT

WE HAVE FACED THE BEAST

BUT WE ARE ONE

 IN THIS ONENESS

I OFTEN HEAR

OR FEEL

THOUGH MANY

DO NOT KNOW HIS NAME

THE PRESENCE OF HIM WHO SAYS

WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED

HE IGNORES THE NAME RECOGNITION

HE STAND SILENT

READY TO HELP

BY NOT MAKING THE LAME MAN WALK

BUT TO FIND INNER PEACE

IN HIS LAMENESS

EXPRESSED

IN THIS HERD INSTINCT

TO HEAR ANOTHER’S PAIN

TO SHARE YOUR OWN

THE SPIRIT

BROODS OVER THE CHAOS

OF OUR LIVES

IT MAKES A NEW CREATION

THE TALK GOES ON

OF TREATMENTS

AND PAIN

LIFE CHANGES

CHEMO BRAIN

PHYSICAL CHANGES

BUT ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE

I HEAR

THE SIBILANT

SOUND OF WINGS

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NAMING THE HOURS

MATINS

TODAY WE HAVE THE NAMING OF HOURS

AS OUR DAY BEGINS

WITH THE NURSE WAKING US

TO TAKE OUR TEMPERATURE

 OUR PULSE

WE HAVE GREETED THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

ALL AROUND I HEAR

SORRY TO WAKE YOU

A LITTLE HIGH THIS MORNING

A LITTLE LOW

TAKE THIS MAGIC PILL

TO MAKE IT RIGHT

SO WE BEGIN THE DAY

BY TRYING TO GO BACK TO SLEEP

BUT NOT BEFORE I THINK OR SAY

 LET THE NAME OF THE LORD BE PRAISED, 

BOTH NOW AND FOREVERMORE. 

FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN

TO THE PLACE WHERE IT SETS, 

THE NAME OF THE LORD BE PRAISED.

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LAUDS

NOW IT BEGINS

THE WAKEUP CALL WITH BREAKFAST

 THE MAGIC PILLS AGAIN

 TEMPERATURE

AND PULSE

BRIGHT WITH PROMISE

WE BEGIN OUR DAY

O LORD, OPEN MY LIPS, 

AND MY MOUTH WILL DECLARE YOUR PRAISE

IN THE MORNING, O LORD, YOU HEAR MY VOICE; 

IN THE MORNING I LAY MY REQUESTS BEFORE YOU 

AND WAIT IN EXPECTATION

SATISFY US IN THE MORNING

WITH YOUR UNFAILING LOVE,

THAT WE MAY SING FOR JOY

AND BE GLAD

ALL OUR DAYS

THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH

AND MY SHIELD;

MY HEART TRUSTS IN HIM,

AND I AM HELPED.

MY HEART LEAPS FOR JOY

AND I WILL GIVE THANKS TO HIM IN SONG

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PRIME

  

WE ARE ASKED TO BEGIN THE DAY’S WORK

WHETHER RESTING OR HEALING

TESTING OR EATING

SLEEPING OR STARING AT THE WALL

BUT FIRST WE WASH

OR OTHERS WASH US

CLEANSE ME WITH HYSSOP,

AND I WILL BE CLEAN; 

WASH ME,

AND I WILL BE WHITER

THAN SNOW

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TERCE

COFFEE BREAK TIME

NO ONE HAS EVER CALLED IT THAT

A MID MORNING RECOLLECTION

OF WHO WE ARE

THE LORD WILL SUSTAIN HIM

ON HIS SICKBED

 AND RESTORE HIM

FROM HIS BED

OF ILLNESS

RESTORE TO ME

 THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION

 AND GRANT ME

A WILLING SPIRIT

TO SUSTAIN

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SEXT

  

WE GIVE THANKS FOR OUR FOOD

AND ITS DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

NO SUGAR ADDED

OR NO SALT

BUT THE PORTION LOOKS INCREDIBLY SMALL

BE   ALERT

FOR YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL

PROWLS AROUND

LIKE A ROARING LION

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE

TO DEVOUR

HE GIVES FOOD

TO EVERY CREATURE

HIS LOVE ENDURES

FOREVER

HE RAINED DOWN MANNA

FOR THE PEOPLE TO EAT 

HE GAVE THEM

THE GRAIN OF HEAVEN

 MEN ATE THE BREAD OF ANGELS

HE SENT THEM

ALL

THE FOOD

THEY COULD EAT

  

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NONE 

TEMPERATURE AND PULSE TIME AGAIN

THE GATHERING OF THE ENDS OF THE DAY

MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR SUPPER

PERHAPS A NAP

A QUIET RESTFUL TIME

A TIME TO SAY

BUT I HAVE STILLED

AND QUIETED MY SOUL

 LIKE A WEANED CHILD

WITH ITS MOTHER

 LIKE A WEANED CHILD

 IS MY SOUL WITHIN ME

YOUR SUN WILL NEVER SET AGAIN

 AND YOUR MOON

WILL WANE NO MORE

 THE LORD

 WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT

 AND YOUR DAYS OF SORROW WILL END

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VESPERS 

WE HAVE WASHED OUR FACE FOR EVENING

WE’VE HAD OUR TEMPERATURE AND PULSE TAKEN

A FINAL ROUND OF PILLS

A CERTAIN SENSE OF SADNESS

AT THE END OF THE DAY

A CERTAIN SENSE OF FRIGHT

AT THE COMING OF THE NIGHT

A CERTAIN SENSE

OF BEING HELD IN GOD’S HAND

O LORD

 I CALL UPON YOU;

 HASTEN TO ME

   GIVE EAR TO MY VOICE

WHEN I CALL TO YOU

LET MY PRAYER RISE UP

LIKE INCENSE BEFORE YOU,

 THE LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS

AS THE EVENING SACRIFICE!

SET A GUARD, O LORD

 OVER MY MOUTH

   KEEP WATCH

OVER THE DOOR OF MY LIPS

THE LORD

WILL SUSTAIN HIM

 ON HIS SICKBED

 AND RESTORE HIM

 FROM HIS BED

 OF ILLNESS

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COMPLINE

IT’S TIME FOR GOING TO BED

THE LORD GRANT US A PEACEFUL

PAIN FREE NIGHT

 LET US WAKE UP SINGING

I WILL BOTH LIE DOWN

AND SLEEP

FOR YOU ALONE

O LORD

MAKE ME DWELL

IN SAFETY

KEEP US O LORD

AS THE APPLE OF THINE EYE

PROTECT US

UNDER THE SHADOW

OF YOUR WINGS

THE LORD BE WITH US

AND ALL OUR ABSENT

BROTHERS AND SISTERS

AMEN SO BE IT AMEN