Pain

I have not mastered the concept of pain,
I always think I have,
but the pain comes again and I don’t
know how to suffer with grace,
noises irritate

under the duress of pain I feel ugly
and mean, I wander through the house,
pulling things apart,
feeling sorry for myself,
caught in forked lightning racking my brain

Pain robs us of all ability to think
of anything good, all deeds causing injury
are due to pain, criminals are held in jail
because pain makes them want to hurt others;
if my pain were constant and unrelenting,

I would have robbed and killed too,
pain is unreasonably attacking the sufferer;
only by creating a new world in which pain
is prevented by unconditional love shall we
stop people from infringing on each others’ rights

Until then all criminal deeds simply illustrate
destruction to the human psyche caused by pain…