Mammogram

Cherry

By MJG

Sun, 22 Dec 2024
  • 896 reads
4 comments
 

 

I cast off the silk bra; a romantic present.
Set free, in the cool compartment, my nipples harden.
Areolas tug subcutaneous petal lobes,
buoyed by lymph and blood, interlaced
with cushioned ducts; tributaries taper into alveoli.

 

The radiographer, smiles, takes one breast in her blue-gloved hand
inserts between parallel plates of a rotating gantry.
Applies 20kg of compression for five-seconds. 
I think of apples, pears, melons, pumpkins,
the milk of human kindness.

 

Prolactin that syphoned my blood of sugars, fat and proteins,
oxytocin’s tingling, lightning, let-down to an infant’s cry.
Milk flowing into my babies’ suckling mouths.
Each flattened breast is returned to me, re-harnessed.
Another woman enters. We smile and pass. 

 

Moons of my grey-white tissue will illuminate a grainy-black background.
Fleshy solar flares examined. At home, untethered, I feel their weight and cross my fingers.

 

Certificate 12
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

I've always wondered what went on at those sessions in the company of the radiographer. I love the way you've described this very private event so openly in a poem. 

My fingers are crossed for you too.

Turlough

Submitted by Nolan on

OMG

 

Submitted by Frances Macaula... on

Congratulations on the Cherries.

This is certainly a good description of what happens during the dreaded Mammogram but I'm surprised you don't mention or elude to the excruciating pain those 20kg of pressure enact on soft tissue.  The very reason the breast examination is often rejected and different methods of examnination saught.  I had one 30 years ago, within weeks I found a lump which needed to be operated on - Thank Goodness it was benign but I swore never again! 

Thank you for sharing your words. 

Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/search?q=FrancesMF

Submitted by Tom Brown on

The picture is still clear in my mind I was a child I didn't understand what was happening but our aunt Rina was on the lounge bench with the family's women around her trying to console and comfort her clearly something really terrrible had happened but she had breast cancer she had her face in her hands sobbing uncontrollably.

This was long ago these days medicine has advanced greatly. As our godmother I am very pleased to say God has blessed her with a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter my late dad was convinced she really is an angel.

We've had many good family memories and outings.

It's raining here like mad and it is very cold.

Keep well! Warm! Tom