Matt Kendrick
Writer | Editor | Teacher
WELKIN GENRE PRIZE 2026 - SHORTLISTED
Taking It Home
by Rana Bitar
Stoic, always stoic—as if the tumor isn’t growing inside her body but sitting politely on the table beside her, there, among the swabs, tongue depressors, band aids, wig booklets, and the outdated pamphlets. She speaks of her symptoms. Her voice hovers around her as though her body does not belong to her, as though she has moved out and left it behind.
Yet she never fails to say, “Thank you, doctor”, a few times during the visit. And she never fails, before walking out the door, to sweep the tumor off the table and slip it into her bag.
Rana Bitar is a Syrian-American physician, poet, and writer. She holds a Master’s in creative writing from SNHU. She is the author of a memoir, The Long Tale of Tears and Smiles( Global Collective Publishers, 2021), two poetry chapbooks, A Loaf of Bread (Unsolicited Press, 2019) and Hold Your Breath (Unsolicited Press, 2023), and a translated poetry book, Love and Resistance (Fernwood Press, 2025). Her poetry and essays appeared in many journals, including The New York Times and AGNI. Ranabitar.com @RanaBitarBooks
