Pain Brought Into Perspective Poem by Gert Strydom

(in answer to Breyten Breytenbach)

Pain is something that exist as a part of feeling,
it's an utter kind of thing between good and bad:
with the attitude of man it does draw blood,
or gives pleasure if a person means it so.

That pain exists is truly necessary, Lord,
it's like conscience a part of how a person lives,
not a thing to use to force people to strive,
against it there is probably always little resistance,

where people bond to each other to the end of days,
do not want to or understand or tolerate others

and You and Your followers were:

questioned,
innocently charged,
tracked and caught by soldiers,
whipped without the law asking for it,
misused, tortured and hanged against a cross

without the balance of the law, justice, righteousness or forgiveness,
as if humanity does miss mercy, pity and empathy,
as if no accountability do affect man:
mere humans with despise did charge You,
did not even know what selfless love is,
or about pleasure and pain the true meaning.

[Reference: "Breyten bid vir homself" (Breyten prays for himself) by Breyten Breytenbach.]