Stephen is a web developer, Bahá'í, and interfaith activist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He likes to write about religion, social justice, sustainability, science, programming, &c.

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poetry, prose, and other strings of words · 1993 - 2003

Pain Is Living

Number 149

December 20, 2000

Pain! beats against these stones.
They have nowhere to turn—they
Are dead.

I—have somewhere to turn,
Turn to His arms—why do I wait?

Because pain is life. Pain…
Is love.

Is there love in this pain?
Or a mirage where dust is
My reward?

Drip… drip…
Not exactly torrents,
But a mist of tears that
Cry out "I AM!"
(Though the direct object
Is lost yet…)

A nebula in my skull—
Where stars are born and flash out
Again in mighty collisions.

Pain, love, patience, sleepwalking.
Yes, the thresholds are lost on me.

The valley of doubt?
Disbelief can only come with belief
And without thought I can have
No belief.

Detached. That's the word
I look for. Come hither detachment!

Hither.

Me.