Show Me Your Pain

I lay there in a gown

That covered only half of me

Made me feel absurd,

It is then that you gave

The most absurd of requests.

“Show me where your pain is”

You said clear and loud,

How could I answer plainly?

I can tell you my hip or elbow,

Or I can say a little south of regret

And east of loneliness.

On a scale of the harbour to the horizon

I’m somewhere I can see neither

Yet few fathoms from despair.

Today pains birthplace is your fingers

As you extract my insubordinate blood

And tear the tape off of my side.

Where is the pain you ask?

The pain is here here

And especially here,

The pain is with me in the rain

And won’t leave me

Til’ I’m slain.

My heart pumps

Litre after litre of hot red anguish,

And my aching muscles

Brought me here

Before your simple

Yet impossible queries.

The procedure may help

Some but certainly not all

Of these throbbing scarlet problems,

So I am consenting

To seeing you lamenting

At what terror awakens

When you open up my skin

With needles and scalpel

To find the worry lurking palpable.

Now I’ve shown you my pain

Will you show me yours?

Do you just have scrapes and bruises

Or like me scars from many wars?