Slow-growing cataracts — instant poem

Photo of recycling in a clear plastic bag. Two milk bottles resemble poached eggs.
Slow-growing cataracts need surgery when milk bottles look like poached eggs
Slow-growing cataracts
pacing like glaciers
spawning like waterfalls
over my eyeballs
year after year after year.
I'm peering at poached eggs
that started as milk bottles
no no not eggs
but a couple of eyeballs
white with a yolk 
a yellow cascade 
of cataracts
saying now, now
thou lazy thou dazey
get to the eye clinic
get thyself lasered
or find thyself munching 
on plastic eggs.
Optical nonsense. 
Yes, you were fine 
but be honest: it's time.

~ rachel mcalpine 2021, feel free to share citing me as author

PS Yes, I have slow-growing cataracts, and yes, sometime this year I will get them fixed. And yes that’s a pretty silly poem.

26 thoughts on “Slow-growing cataracts — instant poem

  1. josaiawrites says:

    Silliness is much underrated! Laughter is always essential….

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Hey! Without it I’m lost.

  2. Your poem made me chuckle.:-) I had cataract surgery 18 years ago. It’s a fascinating process, and I’m so thankful for the results. Modern eye surgery is amazing.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Isn’t it just? Now all i need to find is the time and money…

  3. A month ago, I had my second eye operated on to remove a cataract. Two years earlier, when the first eye was operated on, the cataract on the second eye wasn’t too bad. But suddenly this spring it got lots worse, so I’m glad I was able to get it removed. I’m sure you will be happy when you get your cataracts removed, too.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Yes I think so. The deterioration sneaks up on you. But at my last annual checkup the optometrist said that new glasses would no longer do the trick. Time to bite the bullet.

  4. Beth A Rubin says:

    ironic! Tuesday I had my second eye done! for me they grew fast; I’m grateful for the growing clarity of vision; I hope that clarity of vision spreads throughout my being. I loved your poem.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Good timing! Hm, I love the thought of clear vision throughout my being. Bring it on!

  5. I’m very much with you on this Rachel. It is one of the few conditions that make you wish it would progress more rapidly. Mine are not bad enough to operate on but they do affect my vision enough to be very frustrating!

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      How annoying!

  6. I’ll be there soon too. Slowly growing for a while, but they seem to have speeded up lately.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      We are so lucky to live in the laser-surgery era.

  7. Mamalava says:

    You’re not wrong! I can see poached eggs too – sounds yummier than the reality of it, so I say see what you want to see 😉

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      I like your attitude

  8. haoyando says:

    Wish you good health and get it fixed. Love and hugs. 😃👍😜💖

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Thank you!

  9. Sadje says:

    Cataract surgery is life changing!

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      So I’m told. Looking forward to it.

      1. Sadje says:

        👍👍👍

  10. I hope I can approach cataract removal with humor, as you have. I could see the items that looked like eggs, but I hope I wouldn’t have tried to eat them.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      👌

  11. Suzanne says:

    All the best for a clearer view of your world, Rachel.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Now that I’ve written about it I’ll have to do it!

      1. Suzanne says:

        I hope you booked an appointment, Rachel.

      2. Rachel McAlpine says:

        Wednesday morning at 8.15 am for assessment. Thanks for holding me accountable!

      3. Suzanne says:

        Good for you and the world will look so much better after the surgery. So, a friend says who’s just had it done!

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