Category Archives: Ultra Sounds Mondays

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, February 11, 2013

Hi all,

I am delighted to have received a new poem from Nigel Paul.  Nigel is a “writer and artist with a strong interest in the relationships between media, culture, society and politics.” You may remember Nigel from a poem published here last April, (She’s) Dancing With The Idiots (Tonight).

Even though I have moved the focus away from submissions, if you have something you are hankering to share please do still send it my way. I will be pleased to consider it for posting.

All the best

Sam

The Park Bench

I held her hand tightly,

As she started to tell me,

Is this what park benches are for?

 

 

She said it’s the sinking heart feeling,

That hurts her the most,

And the voice of her mother’s ghost,

Saying ‘You should’ve done better,

You should’ve done more,’

And it’s the memory of that voice,

That breaks our silence,

Creates the ripples,

Causes the creases of laughter,

‘You were the only daughter,’

I sit and tell her,

Is this what park benches are for?

 

 

And we sat and we drifted,

Through memories and smiles,

For many a-passer-by,

And we didn’t even cry,

When it started to rain,

And she didn’t even cry,

When he spoke of the pain,

I just held her hand tightly,

And I listened with care,

Is this what park benches are for?

Because I know I’ll be beck here,

To hold this memory so dear,

As I hold on to her tightly,

Because today is just today.

NDP

6/2/13

by

Ultra Sounds Mondays, November 5, 2012

 

Good morning everyone. It’s a cold day here in Ontario, Canada. I’m pulling out my longjohns tonight!

No new posts for you today I am sad to say (c’mon people, I’m waiting to hear from you!) So instead I thought I would post some links to previous contributors, so you can catch up on what they are up to.

 

Amy Marash has a great new cartoon here.

More wonderful work from Anna Moriarty Lev here.

Barbara Crooker’s poem “November, Sky Full of Bruises” could have been written for me. It make me think back to a November 12 years ago.

Dorit Fuhg has added to her portfolio of Art for Cancer prints - gorgeous.

Check out the latest works of my hero Viola Moriarty here.

Charles Phelps-Penry posted a newer cancer poem in July that I really like.

 

Well there’s a start. It’s a fertile bunch of creators that have posted over this last year. I would love to post your creative work. Take a look at submissions guidelines and keep the creativity flowing.

 

Enjoy the rest of your Monday.

Sam

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, October 29, 2012

Good windy morning to all of you in the Eastern part of Canada and the U.S. I hope you are all safely snuggled somewhere to weather the weather.

Today’s post is one of my own works. This poem is about the oft-overlooked caregiver of us needy patients. They give and give and give and often nobody notices.

Sam

An Ode to a Caregiver

by Samantha Albert

 

In the business of illness

the patient is the star,

with agents and  handlers,

groupies and entourages.

“Do you need some chicken soup?”

“You are so brave, so inspirational!”

“Tell me your every need, your every wish and I will fill it.”

The patient is the celebrity, the self-indulged.

They are encouraged to focus on themselves

To take care of themselves

To talk about themselves

Their jokes are funnier

Their words are more profound

Than they ever were before

But if the patient is the star

what is the caregiver?

Chief cook and bottle washer.

Launderer of dirty linen.

The one who makes the money to pay for the medication

The one who cheerfully brings endless cups of tea.

The one who explains why mama has to be away so often.

The one who responds to grumpy moods with a sympathetic, “Are you having a hard day? “

The one who is scared, but can’t show it.

The one who, no matter how much they love the patient,

is always a bit of an outsider to the illness.

The one who must carry on with the life of two,

while the patient is otherwise engaged.

Where are their groupies?

Where are the reporters?

Where is the fanfare?

Leave the patient in anonymity for a while.

Cast your spotlights

on the quiet one in the background.

Celebrate him

Appreciate his dedication

Acknowledge his courage

Recognize his love

June, 2011

by

Let’s try this again – Ultra Sounds Mondays, October 8, 2012

My apologies to you all and to Kate. None of her cartoons showed up in yesterday’s posting. Let’s see if it works today.

Enjoy!

Sam

 

Cartoonists hold a special place in my heart. Aside from my love of them leftover from childhood, there is something about the whimsy of cartoons that allows the dark side of a situation to be exposed to the light. I recently, happily stumbled upon a new cancer cartoonist and her humour is spot on to describe the life of a cancer patient (or any seriously ill patient for that matter).

This wonderful cartoonist is Kate Matthews and you can find her in all of these different ways:

cartoonsbykate@gmail.com

www.cancercartoons.com

www.facebook.com/cancercartoons, www.facebook.com/cartoonsbykate

twitter: @cartoonsbykate

http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/Cubicle.aspx

Her story is woven in through her cartoons. Enjoy.

 

Sam

 

One day, close to the end of his life, my daughter offered my Father-in-law a handful of Red Hots (bright-red, heart-shaped cinnamon-flavored candies).  He gestured with his hand and said, “ No thanks, I’m off the Lysinopril” (these were his bright-red, kind of heart-shaped, blood pressure control pills).  We all burst out laughing and for a while, his pain and our sorrow were lifted away.  Eventually my memory of that moment morphed into a cartoon:

 

Shortly after my Father-in-law died, I too was diagnosed with cancer.  At first, I fell into that deep dark hole of despair that seems so dreadfully inescapable.  But then I remembered how we had laughed and how much it had helped.  I began to construct a ladder of laughter to help me get out of my hole:

 

 

Cartooning saved my sanity. I was seeking that bright quick moment of mental relief, the laugh that pushes the fear and the pain away. Anytime I found it, I drew it.  I drew in the doctor’s waiting rooms and in the chemo chair, in my living room and in the hospital.    When my treatment was finished, I collected the cartoons in a book in hopes of sharing a few bright moments with others.  We all know that there’s not one damn thing that’s funny about cancer, but no one needs a good laugh more than we folks who are fighting it.  That’s why I’m still cartooning, why I try to post a new cartoon everyday.  When we laugh, we feel good and when we feel good, we get stronger.  Let’s hear it for laughter!

 

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, October 1, 2012

Good day all and happy October!

Today I offer you another couple of gems from Viola Moriarty.  I love Viola’s paintings and I love Viola even though I have never met her in person. I connect to the colour and lines and the feeling of the painting and they  seem to me to be portholes into her personality (as much as I know her so far). You should go right this minute and check out her collection at http://www.violamoriarty.com/ (and notice what a beautiful bald head she has – I drool in envy  - mine wasn’t so pretty).

Enjoy

Sam

 

In her own words:

“Physicists tell us that the very act of seeing changes us, and changes the object of our perception. I paint
solely and directly from life largely because of this energetic exchange between the seer and the seen.
Creative process is perceiving information and deciding how to personally engage that information; it is
this process that most interests me. Painting is also hard work. It requires a particular kind of focus and
energy. When I step to the easel, I feel I was born for this work. All my liabilities—my tenacity, boldness,
tender heart, passion and insatiable curiosity–become my assets. When I am painting, I feel like myself.

Nature is my sweetest and most demanding teacher, and it is to her that I am most grateful.”

Viola Moriarty

 

Nicole P

By Viola Moriarty

 

 

 

Things Happen

By Viola Moriarty

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, Sept 24, 2012

Happy Monday all,

This week I am happy to present another painting by Gina Duque. I hope you all went to take a look at her website after the last submission. If not, please do take a look at the many wonderful ways in which she sees the world.

Enjoy!

Sam

 

 

In her own words:

About the Artist

Whether it’s through prints like ‘Calypso’ or paintings like ‘Eukarya’, the essence of my work stems from creating mystical images inspired by cellular biology, the concept of healing and my interest in exploring the spiritual connection between the body and mind. I am currently using images derived from medical imaging technology to portray cells, tissues and systems of the human body.

During the last two and a half years of my cancer treatment, creating artworks has become a therapeutic and fulfilling process, eventually evolving into a spiritual and mindful practice.

Gina Duque is an emerging artist currently attending the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario for her Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree. Originally from Cali, Colombia, she immigrated to Canada with her mother at the age of eleven to Walkerton, Ontario.

 

About ‘Rebirth ‘

‘Rebirth’ is an abstract painting inspired by the Phoenix, a mythical creature that ignites on fire at the end of its life cycle and arises from its ashes to be reborn again. This is a powerful piece that for me signifies closing a painful, yet wisdom filled period in my life where I’ve gained so many life lessons not only from this experience but also from the many courageous, inspiring cancer patients I have met along the way. Now taking the ashes of my last chapter to construct another, I begin anew feeling stronger than ever with a renewed perspective on life that has truly enabled me to live life to its fullest.

 

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, September 3, 2012

Welcome back everyone! It’s a fresh new fall and I’m eager to be back in blogging mode again. The summer has been filled with fun and some exciting new projects and connections, many of which will unfold throughout the fall on Ultra Sounds.

But to the business at hand. Today is Monday and that means it’s the day I get to share a submission with you. For the first submission of the season I am delighted to share our first musical contribution.

Take a moment now to stop what you are doing, put aside the rest of your emails, minimize Facebook, shut the door and close your eyes to enjoy this jewel from Dan.  I have connected with Dan through his website Create Beyond Cancer. Our overlapping interests made it inevitable that we would eventually find each other. Do take a look at the site and see what Dan is up to both in terms of the site itself and his work in the community.

Remember now, close your eyes and create the space in your day to fully enjoy this little piece.

Sam

 

 

In Dan’s own words:

It was lovely to be asked the other week by Sam to submit something on her blog. I believe it will be the first musical contribution. As both an architect and singer, I feel my life has been a full and enriched one. Being creative has brought me into contact with many interesting people from different walks of life. I have been living with cancer since May 2010. Since being diagnosed I have wanted, if at all possible, to remain creative.
 
There are many examples of people remaining creative whilst living with cancer. One personal example for me is the composer Gerald Finzi. Whilst living with cancer he continued to compose some beautiful songs. In fact I believe his creativity increased after his diagnosis. I find singing his songs and those by other composers helps me cope and reaches out to others.
 
Recently I gave a concert during the day with Kathy my pianist for the patients, carers and visitors at a hospital in Berlin. They have a piano outside the oncology ward in a large spacious corridor with good acoustics. The following is a song selected from a recording I made that day. It isn’t a very good recording but manages to capture the moment. The song is in german and by Schubert and is called ‘Der Neugerige’, which means curiosity, and comes from the song cycle ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’. In short, the youth in the song is asking the brook that powers the mill wheel whether the miller’s daughter loves him. I hope you enjoy the short song.
 
Thank you for listening
 
Dan
by

Ultra Sounds Monday, July 9, 2012

Hello everyone,

My apologies for the quietness of the blog these days. It’s these sluggish summer days. You could peel me off the couch when it’s as hot as it has been lately in Southern Ontario. Once the cooler weather arrives, I will be back in full swing.

Today’s submission comes from Kelly Thorarinson,a lovely woman I met at an Art for Cancer Workshop. I love the colours and texture of this painting as well as the title and what it represents. Do check out Kelly’s other work and her blog.

In her own words:

Re: Resolving the Screening dilemma

I worked on this piece through Art for Cancer Foundation’s 5 week workshop.  I call it resolving the screening dilemma as that is actually part of a typewritten piece that is visible under all the colour and texture…. a newspaper clipping. That is how I first decided to name this piece, but really there is so much more.  Those words resonate with me because there is complexity to cancer treatment.  Even as a stage 1 breast cancer patient where treatment is fairly straightforward, there are still many questions.  One, of which, is about screening as the very screening methods and treatment for breast cancer can also cause cancer.  Sure is a dilemma.  The other aspect of the title is that in doing art I was able to solve the dilemmas of cancer by giving them a voice and hours of escape through art. More of my art can be found at www.abelcreation.com and I write a blog at www.chrysalis2butterflywings.blogspot.com

 

 

The Screening Dilemma

by Kelly Thorarinson

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, June 25, 2012

Good morning all,

Since I have a little pull with the moderator of this blog, I decided to post one of my own poems for today’s submission.

I wrote this poem after stumbling across an old picture of myself on a canoe trip before becoming ill.  I was blinded by the memory of once being strong enough to carry a heavy backpack along a three kilometre portage. I had forgotten that once upon a time, I wasn’t sick. Here was proof. The poem reflects the mixture of emotions I felt in response to this picture.

Enjoy

Sam

 

 

 

The Girl with the Backpack

 

The picture is a little fuzzy

She didn’t want to be photographed

The large backpack was heavy

The long portage waited

“Just take the picture already”

Tall and strong

Long hair pulled back

With the wisps blowing in the breeze

She was ready to hack it off

So heavy and hot

Not knowing that a few years later

Chemotherapy would do the job for her.

 

She couldn’t know this would be the last trip

That her changing body wouldn’t allow her to go

to that place of deep quiet and true darkness anymore

She was a bit crabby that day

Maybe it was that time of the month

The chemotherapy claimed that too

Something she never thought she would miss

You want to tell that girl to shape up

To stop whining about the heat and mosquitoes

To pay close attention

So that she could replay the details later

 

I would like to be her again

Just for a day

To remember what was:

the smell of green

The cool silkiness of the water on bare skin

The clarity of the stars at night

The feel of paddle in hand

Traveling away and away

 

Yet for all of her physical vitality

She was a frail creature on the inside

Jell-O

She was easily led away from herself

She writhed with self-consciousness

Avoided the hard things

And felt herself always on shifting sands.

She didn’t know how to be her.

 

She is stronger now

With fortitude she never imagined

Grounded like a tree

Yes she would like to hide in her old self a while

Trade up for a healthy body

But would not sacrifice the hard-earned sturdiness

that helps her now come back from the woods and face the future.

by

Ultra Sounds Monday, June 18, 2012

Today I am pleased to post some more poems by Margery Hauser.  Once again in her own words:

In 1999 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had surgery that, at the time, we all thought had taken care of the problem.  However, it came back for a return engagement in 2008 and again in 2010, now taking up residence in lymph nodes and moving its way up from my pelvis into my abdomen. The poems below were written in response to various experiences during diagnosis and treatment.

Today’s poems are quite different from each other.

The first, Chemo Blues, is “definitely irreverent, but it reflects my personal feeling that finding the humor in a difficult situation is a way to maintain some balance”

“How do I tell you is really an expression of anger and frustration in reaction to all the people who told me how much they admired my strength and positive attitude.  Their words, undoubtedly spoken with the best of intentions, made it difficult for me to share my fear and sadness honestly.”

 

Until next time…

Sam

_____________________________________________________

Chemo Blues

 

Oh the first line of the blues is always sung a second time (oh yeah?) 
 First line of the blues is always sung a second time (kinda smooth!) 
 So by the time you get to the third line you’ve had time to think up a rhyme.

 Richard Stilgoe, Poppa’s Blues, Starlight Express

 

I’ve got those paclitaxel topotecan chemo blues.

Oh yes, those paclitaxel topotecan chemo blues.

It’s made my thumbs a little numb,  my toes are tingling in my shoes.

 

Treatment’s made me bald, ain’t got no eyebrows or eyelashes.

Yeah, treatment’s made me bald, ain’t got no eyebrows or eyelashes.

The upside is it’s cold and chemo gives me cozy, warm hot flashes.

 

My legs ache from the taxol and the topo makes my white cells disappear.

Oh, my legs ache from the taxol and the topo makes my white cells disappear.

On the other hand I haven’t had to shave my legs in almost half a year.

 

These drugs make me so tired, I just want to sit here staring at TV.

I said, these drugs make me so tired, I just want to sit here staring at TV.

It’s the best excuse for doing absolutely nothing, lazy as can be.

 

Some folks say it’s bad taste to joke when cancer’s got you by the nodes.

I hear some folks say it’s bad taste to joke when cancer’s got you by the nodes.

But I think all of us on this journey find our own kinds of roads.

 


__________________________________________________

How do I tell you

 

it’s hard to walk upright

with the weight of your admiration

pressing on my shoulders

 

too difficult to breathe

swaddled in your blanket of love

 

impossible to swim

through your riptide of caring

 

Your heartstrings tentacle tight

around me     I am confined

constrained   contained   restrained

 

Image   icon

idol    ideal

I dream Pinocchio dreams

of being real