pain is
my heart pounding
my mouth dry
my tears hot and sticky

pain is
loss
poverty
loneliness

pain is
questioning
not knowing
hiding

pain is
any empty bed
an empty home
an empty heart

pain is
silence
your voice
my own

pain is
eating meals in silence
being overlooked
trusting the wrong people

pain is
missing someone i've never had
missing a woman i once was

pain is being broken
pain is peppered through days in small doses
pain is breathing fire into a closed tin can that fits in your pocket