by Rose Marie Balzan

I never knew her love, her voice, her thought,

She was gone long before I could ask,

“What?”

I never knew her face, her laugh, her smile,

She was gone long before I could ask,

“Why?”

A small lump on the breast,

Grew into a fearful scare.

The painless thickening progressed,

Took her life beyond repair.

They said she passed from breast cancer,

A phrase I couldn’t yet hold.

She may not be here to share her journey,

But her story won’t remain untold.

If only she had spoken,

If only she had known,

That in the early whispers,

Hope could have grown.

Chemos and surgeries,

A battle to fight,

Pain in each step,

From day into night.

Tears of the family,

Hearts filled with grief,

Praying for healing,

Seeking relief.

Through the torment,

They hold on tight,

Hoping for strength,

To make it through the fight.

If only she had spoken,

If only she had known,

That in the early whispers,

Hope could have grown.

So I urge you all, to hear my plea,

Don’t let fear stand in the way!

Go check your body, be healthy,

For life is too precious to throwaway.

I never knew my dearest grandma,

She was already gone before I could say.

Because if only she had spoken,

Perhaps, just perhaps, she’d be here today.