Breast Cancer Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

Yes it is cancer,
a sternfaced doctor,
one for the stars
pronounced at once.
I am so young,
and a celebrity
she said, her tearful voice,
accusing, although timid.
But why, after a minute of
denial and confusion
it seems that young ones
now fall ill with this dark monster.
The answer was, if nothing,
a plain lie.
The cause of carcinoma
of the mammaries
is failure to do screening,
called mammography.

The logic was unreal,
and nothing but deception.
Again, it was pure greed
that motivated all.
Like guns that do the killing
and screening does prevent,
in either case dishonesty
was present from day one.

Mammography does cause,
no doubt, new cancers frequently.
The innocent who went to screen
will be new victims soon.
New evidence has also shown
that of those who do nothing
their cancers let them live a while
far longer than than expected.
To cut and burn, bring out the chemo
is good for the economy,
malignancies, however are
like housepets in exotic ways.
It pays to take much care in choosing
which route is best for you at last
it is your life, so be informed
you have but one, it's not for sale.