In “A Cancer Notebook,” Peter expresses, viscerally, purely, his emotions and thoughts while he is living with the reality of cancer. Being a poet, he does so in a way which can be integrated into another being directly, shattering the isolation, and giving each person a better understanding and acceptance of what they are going through--a precious step toward healing, emotionally and physically. This is the profound gift of Peter’s book.
The poems are such a totality, each word adding to the whole, building within themselves to an integrated power and poignancy. “Women’s Ward” and “Words” are two such poems, among many others.
From the Foreword by Patricia Holt.