SIRRUS POE'S poems, essays, short stories, and photography have appeared in numerous print and online publications such as Can We Have Our Ball Back, Snow Monkey, Carillon, Poems Niedernagasse, Some Words, insolent rudder, Ken*Again and Wilmington Blues. His new book, Releasing the Demons, was released earlier this year. Sirrus is currently revising his novel Broken Dreams.

                                                      cancer: a love story


She cried as she entered the room. I asked her if she was sure, she only nodded. I picked up the scissors. She held her head high and waited for me to cut her beautiful hair. The hair I used to run my fingers through while we cuddled on the couch watching movies.

I began to cut and kill the flowing length and when we were done she went into the bathroom for an endless string of hours. I swept up what I could into the dustpan taking it to the kitchen. Try as I might I could no longer be strong. I ran from the house screaming inside myself, crying tears of sadness and hate.

Seven days passed, I laid her to rest and afterwards went home. Went to the kitchen, pulled out my bag, went to the couch and preceded to run my fingers through her hair. Beautiful.

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© 2003 Sirrus Poe