Stephanie Ramos: Finding Strength in Poetry
“A few days after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I started writing poetry. I felt inspired by a lot of different things.”
Stephanie Ramos is a new poet, but not a newcomer to poetry. She has always loved poetry. But it was her breast cancer diagnosis in July 2007 that led this Idaho resident to start writing poetry. Ramos tutors English as a second language and math part time at a high school in Boise. She began writing poems as she was going through treatment and has been writing them ever since.
“It’s a creative outlet for my feelings, a way of venting,” says Ramos, who adds that she has found strength in writing poetry even in difficult periods during her treatment. Born and raised in Texas, Ramos moved to Idaho 2 years ago. She says she finds inspiration in the beautiful snow-capped mountains in Boise, and in the changing of the seasons there, things that she missed in Texas. What she misses in Texas, though, is her family and the warmth of spring and summer year-round. Another source of inspiration for her is working with high school students in a multicultural environment. “They keep me inspired and motivated. They have such a higher passion for learning.”
Ramos shares some of her poems here.
My Journey
Although my journey is about halfway done
It seems like the other day it had all just begun.
With the helping hands of others that have somehow touched your life.
You give of yourself daily just taking it in stride.
I refuse to give up or let a friendship die
I think of all I’ve been through and try not to cry.
Everyone finds beauty in a hint of a smile.
Letting us know that just a little hope, makes it all worthwhile.
They came and took good care of me
And I’ll make it through because of you.
I’m so glad for my doctors and nurses
And extremely grateful for all you do.
I refuse to give up this fight
And look forward to a time of reflection
I’ll continue to keep on going
Because of your affection.
Maybe I don’t thank you enough
For the strength you have given me.
But I’ll wear my PINK RIBBON proudly
Because now it is a part of me.
My Little Pink Ribbon
I wear my Little Pink Ribbon proudly on my chest.
To let everyone know that I fought and gave it my best.
I never thought in a million years, that I would face this fight.
I’m giving it all I have, and I know that everything will be alright.
So many of us have faced this battle, as we continue to “Race for a Cure”
That millions of us wear this Little Pink Ribbon, for a passion that is pure.
The Pain Within
How do I explain the pain that comes from deep within?
The pain that is not only physical, but seems to never end.
It seems like the other day that everything was just fine.
But today it seems like all I do is cry and whine.
My heart aches for it all to go away,
But as each day lingers on I can tell it is here to stay.
My pain is so deep that all I do is cry.
And I know that without treatments, I will more than likely die.
As each day passes by, there’s nothing I want to do.
Since they told me I have BREAST CANCER.
I can’t believe what they say is true.
How do I ease the pain, which seems to never end?
Maybe when all this CANCER stuff is said and done.
I will have beaten this awful disease and feel like I won.
AMAZED
AT ALL OF THE CARE YOU GIVEN ME
WHEN I’M SAD AND LONELY
AMAZED
AT HOW THIS DISEASE HAS TAKEN OVER ME
BARELY GIVING US A CHANCE TO BREATHE
AMAZED
AT THE WAY YOU LOOK IN MY EYES AND TELL ME THAT I AM BEAUTIFUL.
ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW I FEEL THAT IS VERY DOUBTFUL
AMAZED
AT HOW EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT
AND GO FROM EXCITED ABOUT LIFE TO CONFUSED
AMAZED
AT HOW A LITTLE BUMP CALLED A TUMOR
CAN CAUSE SO MUCH PAIN ONCE YOU HEAR THE WORD CANCER
AMAZED
AT HOW FAST IT CAN GROW
AND HOW FINDING A CURE SEEMS SO SLOW
AMAZED
AT THE CHANGES THAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OF MY LIFE
AND AT THE COURAGE AND BRAVERY THAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIFE.
FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS AND SO MUCH MORE
I AM TRULY AMAZED.
Wealth
The wealth that I have you cannot measure
With lots of love and a heart full of treasure.
I am rich in spirit and rich in love
Rich in happiness and God’s love from above.
The happiness that I feel is worth its weight in gold
And the many things I have been through and the stories untold.
Except for one that I try to share everyday
My story of Breast Cancer and how it taught me to pray.
It all began the summer of 2007
With all the prayers and support from my angels in heaven
You see these riches that I have and that make me feel wealthy
Are the ones that keep me strong and the ones that keep me healthy.
Inner Strength
My strength sometimes amazes me
As I handle all the pain and carry heavy burdens,
I hold joy, sadness, love and optimism.
I paint on a smile, when all I feel like doing is screaming from the top of my lungs.
I sing songs of praise, when I feel like crying, cry when I am happy and talk to myself when I am afraid.
My love is unconditional and my heart is pure. The pain that I endure is unmeasured by the joy that I feel that I am still alive.
I’ve been told that the only thing wrong with me is that I don’t realize my true value and forget that I am someone. Someone that is loving, caring and worthy.