Pain,
A four-letter word, yet so profound,
A silent emotion that cannot be expressed,
It reaches deep within, touching the heart’s core,
Unleashing vulnerability, leaving one in sorrow’s embrace.

Oh, the word called pain,
A burning sensation surpassing hellfire’s heat,
Bitterer than any medicine or food known,
Leaving one exposed in an unjust world,

Crushing the spirit to its very core, bringing one to their knees.
As I sit on the beach, feeling the caress of the breeze,
My life unfolds like a fleeting vision,
Rejection’s sting envelops me, casting darkness,

Rendering me unwanted, causing discomfort to prevail.
A feeling so agonizing, it beckons the embrace of death,
It hurts, beyond words can convey,
Why must I endure this torment?

Feeling undesired in this vast world, I question my existence.
Pain, oh pain!
The agony it inflicts is unbearable,
Devouring and destroying with an insatiable hunger.

Pain, a deadly word that pierces the human heart,
Too fearsome to utter, it sends shivers down the spine,
It resurrects haunting memories, cutting deep,
Oh, pain, how I yearn to banish you from existence.

If only I possessed the power to create a painless world,
Where suffering finds no place to dwell,
But would such a world still be called “world”?
For pain, in its absence, defines our human experience.

I wish I could mend the wounds of all who suffer,
Erasing their tears that disguise the pain within.

Let us aspire to find solace amidst the anguish,
To heal and be healed, to replace pain with love,
For in this journey, we discover our strength,
And may our smiles reflect triumph over pain.

Bella Angel Douglas participated in the Write Liberia poem competition in 2021 and came in third place.