Shapcott deploys an implicit language technique to give the reader the impression that cancer will always end in death; this is a common and recurring theme in two of her poems. In "Hairless," Shapcott comments on “raise her arms to the sky” and “let the big win resonate in the little room." Similarly, in "Of Mutability," Shapcott states “Don’t trouble, though, to head anywhere but the sky” – again making the intrinsic link that at the end of cancer lies death. This evidence suggests that there is no cure for cancer, and the ultimate winner is death. Shapcott uses the words “raising her arms to the sky” which paints a vivid image of a person surrendering to the cancer, and giving up. “The sky” is repeated in her two poems, where lies the final resting place. However in "Of Mutability," Shapcott implies that she doesn’t want to go to “the sky” but feels as if she hasn’t a choice in the matter. This further highlights that fact that the outcome of cancer is death and not bettering. The words “the big” is referring to a slang term for how cancer is known. “The Big C” is a colloquial term for cancer. This epitomises the fact that Shapcott believes that cancer cannot be beaten, and that it is a surrender on her part. Juxtaposing to the first point, "Procedure" gives an entirely different outlook on cancer. Although in the early stages of the poem, the reader can see many recurring themes that we have seen previously, the outlook toward the close of the poem is starkly different to that of its counterparts. Towards the end of the poem it says “that steam and scent and strength and steep and infusion say thank you thank you thank you for the then, and now” showing her eternal gratefulness for the cancer. This quote indicates that she is thanking her cancer for making her a stronger person, perhaps. This is an unusual thing to say following a life threatening illness, and its surprising undertone show