Soon after I began seeing this patient for breast cancer, she brought a poem to an appointment. The next time, another poem. I was deeply moved. The following time, having seen her on my schedule, I brought a poem also. This became our opening ritual; reading a loved poem out loud to each other. It is, unfortunately, rare that poetry and oncology intentionally share space. She and I still ponder the profound healing poetry offers.

Lindsay Rockwell is poet-in-residence for the Episcopal Church of Connecticut and hosts their Poetry and Social Justice Dialogue series. She’s published in, Connecticut River Review, Orchards Poetry Journal, Amethyst Review, among others. Her collection Ghost Fires, is forthcoming from Main Street Rag Press this year. Lindsay is also an oncologist.