Deep in darkness, worms and root.
in bloodstream and her brittle bones
a hydra I can sense is
growing, swelling fast
numbing pain and lumps. Her liver-spots.
Or deep inside invading liver,
spleen and pancreas.
Indigenous to her. Tender rot.
slimy growth — her cancer cells.
The sick child by Edvard Munch
Kerry wants us to write about monsters at toads. There is an acrostic monster hidden to. We always ask ourselves is it for real or not.
Björn Rudbergs writings 
The sense of dread is so palpable here, Bjorn! You absolutely nailed it.
My mother-in-law found out today that she has skin cancer. And she is the biggest hypochondriac I’ve ever known.
“a hydra I can sense is
growing, swelling fast
numbing pain”
Me too.
Oh I’m so sorry…
Excellent poem about the fears that live inside a htpochondriac.
Excellent… a shame though, sometimes people judge and can be misunderstood.
So well written. The scary thing about hypochondriacs that health care providers may not take them seriously and then something (like cancer) is deemed to be “just another one of their fears.”
Which is why I hid the real monster in the acrostic…
Yup!! There’s a monster
Much love…
A for real monster, cancer. You did well in bringing this to our attention. At first I was thinking it a conjured up blood and mind invader not unlike the one in a novel written by Dan Simmons, “Drood” in respect of Charles Dickens unfinished last work.
..
I love the way you hid the hydra in hypochondria, Bjorn – a clever metaphor for one of the worst diseases. Sometimes we know that there is something wrong with us before it is apparent.
Diagnosis. Usually I don’t get these things. I’m with Victoria on the state of medical opinions on these things. Doctors don’t really listen.
The hidden word is one we all fear and your description of this creeping disease is why we fear it. This hits home, Bjorn. Cancer is personal to everyone.
clever acrostic…the diagnosis wrapped around the fears.
The monster is the mind peering into the mirror of fear. Well done.
Oh, the monster of disease, real or conjured in our minds.