Art Of Pain Poem by Maria Sudibyo

Whether physical, whether emotional
Whether healed completely, whether leaving scar
Whether obvious, whether hidden well
Pain is the world of nightmare

Whether mild, whether severe
Occasionally hurt, or continue disturbing
Whether acceptable risk, whether unwelcome trouble
Pain is the word of torment

By accident, by sacrifice
By breaking bad, by doing right
Struck by grief, intensified by guilt
Pain is the level of endurance

Loved for angst, hated for weakness
The pleasure for S, the need for M
Whether understood, whether denied
Pain is an honest friend

In the body, in the heart
In trying to tend, or just watching
In the cry, in the smile
Pain is the fight of will

The mortal call, the life sign
The spring of fear, the revenge promise
The aching feeling, the play of darkness
Pain is the edge of sanity

Wishing the end of this suffering
Wondering the cause of this bitterness
Is it strength or is it quicksand?
Pain is a miserable thing