My Mother’s Transitive Philosophy of Cancer and Cash

She got a raise.
They raised her up
two quarters.

The difference between two quarters is qualification.
Qualification is the difference between Medicaid and out-of-pocket.
Her pocket is out two-hundred more a month.
Two quarters gets insurance.
Two quarters do not ensure.

The difference between two quarters is zero.
Subtract, and zero is what you get.
Zero is what they give you.
Zero and cancer are circular.
They come at the end of things.

Extract cancer and zero is what you are left with.
Zero is nothing.
Extract nothing and cancer is what you are left with.

Two quarters won’t remove the lump or
buy the dye for her veins so they can
paint up her insides and
see what is growing
on that kidney and
what color
it is.