Pain is the universal language
spoken across time and space
without accent or regional distinction.
Socrates would recognize mine instantly
and reply with equal understanding.
A Polar Bear would catch my visible
conditions, and a moan is a moan
from whatever mouth it comes.
Pain is the great chorus sung by war,
by plague, by childbirth and despair.
It has no words, but its subtleties inspire
endless verses in the poetry of suffering.
Sharon Scholl is an ancient poet who convenes The Gathering, a poetry critique group now in its 22nd year. Her poetry chapnooks, Remains, Evensong, Classifieds, Ghosts, are available via Amazon Books. Her poems are current in eMerge Magazine and Unleash Press.
