There's a tiny world inside my bones.
I learned of it one day,
When some bullies came to visit
And decided  they would stay.

Before they came, this little world,
Was happy as could be,
With platelet cells and red blood cells 
And white ones having tea.

These little cells inside my bones
Grew up and worked each day.
They traveled in my blood stream,
Making sure I felt OK.

The white blood cells were body-guards,
Protecting me from germs.
They used to know some special tricks
That made invaders squirm.

The red blood cells were round and strong,
And carried on their backs,
The oxygen my body needs
To play and to learn facts.

The platelet cells were sticky friends,
In charge of making clots.
I’d cut my hand or scrape my arm,
They’d make the bleeding stop.

Well that’s the way it used to be
Before the bullies came.
I hadn’t met this inside world.
I knew nobody’s name.

It was early in September
when I felt something was wrong.
I had bruises, I was cranky,
And I couldn't play for long.

My body was so hot inside 
I might have fried an egg.
My mom and dad were worried,
'Cause I hurt all down my leg.

They brought me to the doctor.
They brought me to a lab.
They brought me to the hospital.
Where I was very sad.

Before too long, the doctors
Found the bullies in my bones.
They were big and bold and bossy,
Called my bones and blood their home.

They sqeezed away the good cells,
And munched up all their food.
Like most bullies they weren't very smart,
Though they were surely rude.

You may think I was naughty.
I thought I must be bad.
To let these  bullies make me sick,
I didn't understand.

The doctor said don't worry.
The nurse said I'm quite brave.
They told me it just happens,
Not because I don't behave.

The doctor named these bullies.
Called them all leukemia.
Said that their outlandish features,
Fit some clear criteria. 

I learned a bunch of new words
Once leukemia appeared.
Like chemo, blast and lymph gland.
Don't they all sound awfully weird?

I learned about the grand scheme
To destroy these bully cells,
And I took strong medications
'Til the bullies really yelled.

These meds made me feel tired.
They made my mouth feel raw.
My hair covered the pillow,
And left my head quite bald.

I didn't like these feelings,
But I figured this was true-
If I felt bad, the bullies felt worse,
And would melt into a goo.

You might think that I'm different.
You might think I have changed.
But I'm the me I used to be,
Just somewhat rearranged.

You might think that leukemia,
A cancer I was told,
Is something you could catch from me
As if it were a cold.

But that's not true, it's not that smart,
It doesn't have a clue.
Traveling between us
Is a trick it cannot do.

There's more about this cancer-
Something else that it can't do.
It can't destroy my laughter,
Or change me through and through.