Pheochromocytoma
She huddles coiled amongst the swath of blackberry with her matrix of thorny needles, spewing forth her painful pricks. Nerve bundles lay excavating within shredded muscles. Pain caused by unsummoned moles that convert and blast into a red-brick wall, a boundary of sanity and lost childhood of her red-brick prison. Pallid pathways etch memories into bold bones.
Blood thrusts like stallions in her temple while steel bands squeeze the brain like a lemon, and pain surges. The constant noise in her right ear is a foreshadowing of a childhood legacy of forceful blows.
Bewilderment, the bird of prey, attaches to the wall of a heart and brings fear of a blemish, transforming into a boil that infects. It is a hardhearted reminder that those abused have illnesses that can creep into their armor when at least they dare to ignore the smell of the festering fruit.
To continue reading, please visit Chewers And Masticadores, and please be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share. Thanks to Masticadores, Nolcha Fox and J Re Crivello for continuing to support me, fellow artists, and writers. I hope you each have a wonderful time off with family and friends. I appreciate each of you for your support, love, and kindness, even though I have been absent much of the time online as of late. Hopefully, reading this piece will help you understand why I have been in absentia. You all mean a lot to me and many of you are like family. Being ill is nothing we must seek to hide, or give reason to feel shame. To me keeping this a secret is no different then hiding my childhood when I believe writing about it is healing. We all go through many things in our lives and we support one another as a community. I am a better person because of each of you and how you share yourselves with me. I love you all for that. So blessings to each of you. Love Joni
It’s poignant, Joni, and so beautifully written.
Thank you Tim. I hope this helps to explain my situation. Yet I am so blessed as I have found an amazing Dr. in Winston-Salem who is helping me. The community is like a safe haven full of people that care about me and what a beloved feeling that is indeed. I hope your holidays are filled with family, love and joyous times. Many blessings to them and to you dear friend. 🙏
Have blessed holidays, Joni. 💖🙏
Thank you we will Timothy. 🙏❤️
Congratulations, Joni.
Thank you dear friend. ❤️
I’m so glad you liked the image, Joni! Thank you so much for submitting such a poignant piece.
Thank you Nolcha for your support. I really appreciate your kindness and giving me a way to get my message out to the community in prose form. Thank you and sending you lots of hugs and love, Joni
Hey, Joni. I left a comment at Chewers just now but wanted to say here that this is such a deeply profound piece of writing. You continue to set the bar higher with each of your masterpieces, and I’m left in awe of your deftness and agility with words and images and emotions.
Wishing you peace, healing and strength. Prayers for you always, my friend. Much love to you and Scott, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 😊🌸🙏
Dearest Mike, thank you for leaving a comment in both places. Your comment made both Scott and I cry. We were so touched by your heartfelt comment. Such a compliment by someone whose work you love is such an amazing feeling. I never quite think my writing is good enough. I want to congratulate you on your Pushcart Nomination and your amazing poem. I am so happy for all the nominees and grateful to be a part of the list. It was a lot of work for Mich, and I appreciate her rereading all the poems over the year and having to make choices, I can’t even imagine the hours it takes. I am grateful to the editors. Their work is a labor of love. Big hugs and love from us both Mike.
A poignant and beautifully written piece, dearest Joni! Sending you lots of love, big hugs, and healing vibes 🥰🤗♥️
Thank you, dearest Bianca. I am so grateful you read this piece, and I am also very thankful for your kindness, understanding, and positive thoughts and love. We got back late yesterday. We have been gone for over three weeks in Winston Salem, NC. I am much better and feel blessed that my blood pressure is, for the most part, under control during the day. I feel that I have so very much to be grateful for and one of those things is your graciousness, my friend. Sending you lots of love. Joni
It’s always a pleasure to read you, Joni! ♥️
I’m glad you’re feeling better, my dear friend.
Sending you lots of love and great big hugs 🥰🤗🌹 You are always in my thoughts and prayers ♥️🙏♥️
Happy Holidays my dear friend. It always makes me smile to see your photograph. Sending my love to you. It is good to be back at home.
Such an intense read, Joni. I’m heading over to finish. <3
I am honored that you are reading my work. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much for reading me here and on Chewers. 🤗
My pleasure.
❤️
Congratulations, Joni! I’m heading over now.
Happy Holidays, Resa, and sending many blessings your way. I imagine you are busy around the Holidays with your bountiful gifts. Sorry for the delayed response. We have been gone but happy to be home and feeling blessed. Much love coming your way to you and your family.
Delayed..well, now I’m delayed. Life is busy this time of year. No worries, the way to be.
Thank you, Joni, all the best cheer to you and yours! 🌟💖
Thank you for understanding. Wishing you creative and unique days with all you do! I am an enormous fan and find your transcendent designs made from recycled material magical. Many blessings to you and yours as well. Hugs, Joni
Aww, thank you Joni!
Hugs and blessings to you too!
🌟🕊🤍💖
Thank you and hugs and blessings to you as well. By the way what a rocking portrait of the great Gloria Steinem. Such a talented young woman. Happy New Year, hugs Joni
Bleeding heart.. I love it Joni. <3
Thank you Trâm, I am always honored when you like anything I write. Your work is so introspective, beautifully worded and truly a gift. So thank you truly. ❤️
❤ you from here to the moon and back 🥰
Right back at you, my friend, and may you have special blessings for all the kindnesses you show to others. Truly a selfless individual, a rare pearl these days, but what a gift. 🖤 you Joni
Beautiful, poetic prose, Joni!
Thank you so much Dawn for reading. I appreciate it. I am so glad that you enjoyed this piece. 🎄🤗🎄
Thank you so much, Dawn. I appreciate your reading so much, and your gracious comment means a lot. Merry Christmas ,and I hope next year brings many new best sellers for you!!! What a wonderful year you have had, and I hope that you have allowed yourself to enjoy your amazing success. Hugs Joni
♥️🎄
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, dearest Joni!
Sending you lots of love and big hugs 🥰🤗💐
Happy Christmas to you, dearest Bianca, sending you wishes for your best year ever dear friend. Love you, Joni 🎁❤️
Thank you so much, dearest Joni!
Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year, my dear friend! 😊🎄🎁
Love you, too! 🤗♥️
❤️🤗🤗❤️
♥️🤗🤗♥️
I love your poem Joni, I could really relate to it. I feel tremendous love and appreciation for you. Big hugs, xoxo <3
Dearest Carol Anne, thank you so much for reading this post and your kind words. I feel tremendous love and appreciation for you. Big hugs right back. You have been through so much, write about it in a very moving way in hope to help others. The way you express your love for your mother is such a blessing to hear, and how you give back by helping other people who do not have their sight is so admirable. Have a blessed rest of the week my friend. Love Joni