Years of My Life

A Journey from 1944 to … Now

2004–2005 School Year

Western Reserve Academy

And now some darkness seeping in.

December. Med exam.

My doctor noticed … something … that

Would alter who I am.

The biopsy was positive—

A new malignancy.

My prostate gland was cancerous.

But not so bad? (We’d see.)

The surgeon said that I could wait

Until the school year died.

And so it was that not till June

Did I at last decide

To have the surgery at last—

Removal of the gland.

It went so well (or so they said)

Let’s give them all a hand!

But then a post-op biopsy

Had other news for me.

They didn’t get it all, it seems:

A deep despondency.

I was determined, very set—

Determined through it all—

That I would still go back to teach

In the ensuing fall.