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What Do You Know About Pain?

What do you know about pain?

What do you know about hardship?

Have you ever felt your heart being ripped out of your body?

Have you ever felt a knife stab you again and again till there is no blood left in your body?

Do you know what it’s like to stay awake in fear every night?

Do you know what it’s like to be afraid all the time?

What do you know about pain?

What do you know about being broken from the moment you were born?

What Do You Know About Pain

About “What Do You Know About Pain?”:

This poem is a response to fellow blogger, Kevin’s, No Theme Thursday prompt post for this week. He has awesome NTT prompts every week, do check out his blog for more. My apologies Kevin, I’m sure my submission is late for the week. I tried to post it on time but something or the other came up.

This poem is about those moments when people refuse to acknowledge the pain of others because they haven’t experienced it themselves. We’re all so busy wallowing in our own problems and drowning in self-pity that we forget others are going through things too. Sometimes they have it worse than we do.

What did you think of this weeks poem? Did you like the accompanying image created by Kevin for No Theme Thursday? Have you ever experienced the feelings expressed in this poem? If so, how do you cope with them in a healthy way? Let me know in the comments located below because I would love to hear from you. Or simply stop by and say hi.

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P. J. Gudka

92 responses to “What Do You Know About Pain?”

  1. Bookstooge Avatar
    Bookstooge

    “We’re all so busy wallowing in our own problems and drowning in self-pity that we forget others are going through things too”

    Well said!

    Everyone experiences pain and it behooves us to be sympathetic and empathetic to them. Because we are not the center of the universe and our pain, while all encompassing to us, isn’t the pain of the universe. Practicing mercy and kindness to others, as a volitional choice, will help create, bolster and strengthen our own character.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, exactly. It’s so important to try to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and think about what they may be going through. Being kind to one another costs us nothing and will make the world a better place.

      Reply
  2. John Avatar
    John

    That’s complex. It reminds me of things I don’t like to remember…

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I’m sorry to hear that, some memories hurt 💔

      Reply
      1. John Avatar
        John

        That’s okay. Life…

        Reply
  3. johncoyote Avatar
    johncoyote

    Powerful and worthwhile words shared dear poet. You are right. We must be careful. We don’t know how they lived or what they survived. Many people are private.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much. Absolutely, we never know another persons struggles and should try to be kind to everyone around us.

      Reply
  4. ianscyberspace Avatar
    ianscyberspace

    All of us experience pain in its different forms at points in our life. Yes, it does help us to recognize pain in others and be sympathetic enough to be a friend when you recognize others are doing it rough and the pleasant byproduct of that desire to help others is it takes our minds off the pain we feel.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, exactly. Well said.

      Reply
  5. Milena Alien Avatar
    Milena Alien

    What do I know about pain, what do I know about trauma, it’s hard to tell, it’s pretty vague, I have been spanked before by mama

    what do I know about bliss, what do I say about freedom, I lack for words, I vote for peace, I don’t know much, I want to live it

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I think we all feel that way, we’re just trying to live in a messed up world.

      Reply
      1. Milena Alien Avatar
        Milena Alien

        Haha totally

        Reply
  6. thomasstigwikman Avatar
    thomasstigwikman

    It is a powerful poem. I have gone through hard times as well. Times when everything seemed dark, like worse than the end of the world. However, since I’ve grown older things don’t seem to get so difficult and dark anymore (for my self).

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you. I’m so glad things have gotten better for you as you’ve grown older. I feel that way too, life has become less difficult as I’ve gotten older.

      Reply
  7. festo_sanjo Avatar
    festo_sanjo

    It’s just that we’re even more separated than ever! We’ve lost our humour and care for one another. If we could ever see how interconnected and how much each is important as another, we’d not even think of that. It’s a great poem, Pooja.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, exactly. Humans are social beings but we’re so disconnected these days even with all the connections through the internet. Thanks so much.

      Reply
      1. festo_sanjo Avatar
        festo_sanjo

        It’s funny but so real. These things seem not to work in bringing people together but rather male people lonely and miserable. We’re a lost generation. Even the content is much algorithmic in nature, which only favours what’s “cool” more than real.

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          Yes, unfortunately so.

          Reply
  8. singlikewildflowers Avatar
    singlikewildflowers

    That was deep! Great poem, Pooja. I saw an Instagram post recently where it talks about how we don’t know the battles people are facing just by looking at them; we are all fighting our own battles.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. Absolutely, we never know what someone else is really going through. Everyone has their own struggles.

      Reply
  9. shivatje Avatar
    shivatje

    🙏🌹

    Aum Shanti

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      🙏

      Reply
  10. byngnigel Avatar
    byngnigel

    First off, great response to the prompt you chose. As for the topic itself… Empathy lacks. We are living in a grand and awful time. Very few people seem to want to care about anyone but themselves. And it makes the daily grind challenging. It made me think of a gentleman I know. He as this guy who frequented a local Starbucks near me. He came for a cup of ice because he couldn’t afford anything. People will curse him and yell at him, even have security usher him away. I made a point of having a chat with him one day. Turns out he was a veteran down on his luck. Suffered a horrible injury, was in constant pain, and now he had lost everything. Wouldn’t accept cash from me, but appreciated a small black coffee whenever we did cross paths. Just listening to this very articulate man share his experiences had a profound impact on me. I truly didn’t understand suffering and pain.
    Eventually his life turned around. And he works as a supervisor at warehouse. I am glad he never responded negatively to the way some people had been treating him.
    This was such a nice post Pooja. Apologies for the long comment. 🙏

    Reply
    1. Cindy Georgakas Avatar
      Cindy Georgakas

      i had to chime in here before Pooja, since I’m here.. thanks Pooja. This is remarkably touching Nigel. You with your kind heart, listening to him and buying him coffee. shows when one person reaches out kindly what a difference it can make. This mad my night💕

      Reply
      1. byngnigel Avatar
        byngnigel

        Thank you, Cindy. So often we judge with just a look without knowing what’s at the core of a situation. It gave me some perspective, as even I tend to be judgemental at times with others..and with myself. 🙏

        Reply
    2. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much, And I second what Cindy said. It’s amazing that you took the time to treat him well and buy him a coffee when you were able to. People judge so harshly but we never know what someone may be going through till we take the time to talk to them. I’m so glad he’s doing better now and found work.

      Reply
      1. byngnigel Avatar
        byngnigel

        Yeah..he’s such a great guy too. It was such a joy making his acquaintance. 🙏

        Reply
  11. Opher Avatar
    Opher

    A dark one Pooj! There but for fortune.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks, yeah absolutely!

      Reply
  12. Cindy Georgakas Avatar
    Cindy Georgakas

    I think you’re right, Pooja! what do other people know about other people’s pain. Walk a mile in their shoes, and then think again.. Great vivid expressions❣️

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes absolutely, you shouldn’t judge people till you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. Thanks so much 💕

      Reply
  13. Doug Avatar
    Doug

    Pain is never finishing a sentence when in-person, seeing the drawing away of attention, looking at a watch and running away politely. Always alone, even in a crowd. Discovering rejection always. Never actually being alive in the real world. Broken words/ no song./ dead since High School 59 years ago.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, feeling that way is difficult. It’s like you’re existing but not living.

      Reply
  14. katiemiafrederick Avatar
    katiemiafrederick

    Love (Yes the Related Oxytocin the Priceless
    Social Bonding Neurohormone to Materially
    Reduce it Somewhat) Literally Remedies Anxiety

    And Pain Yet It’s Hard to understand

    Fully What It’s Like Not to Experience
    This Healing Warmth Unless One Has It

    And Loses
    All Their

    Soul

    ThiS WAY

    Whether

    Through Abuse
    Neglect Or Just Plain
    Born ThiS Way Cold As Ice

    AS Hell Through and Through and Through

    Dear Pooja So who could Have “Sympathy for ‘The Devils’”
    except for the Devils Themselves Yet to Truly Feel Now

    The Cold
    and Warmth

    One May Have to
    Go to Both Places to

    To Truly Become a King
    and or Queen of Pain

    Yes Enough to
    Forgive other

    Devils

    Or at Least
    Understand

    Where

    Those

    Devils Are

    It Saves a lot of
    Wishes to Send Folks to Hell
    Understanding Where They Currently Reside

    And Indeed There are As Many Rings of Hell as

    There are
    Smiles
    on a Child’s Face

    Many We Individually
    Will Never Come to Truly
    Fully Experience And Understand

    Best to Have Kindness for the ‘Devils’ We Don’t Know..:)

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, we never know what someone is going through or what they have gone through. It’s easy to judge those that are different than us or don’t conform to societal norms but it takes more to understand them and sympathise with them.

      Reply
      1. katiemiafrederick Avatar
        katiemiafrederick

        Kindness an
        Art A Never
        Ending
        Practice
        Of Patience
        And Understanding

        iNDeeD
        Dear Pooja
        With SMiles☺️

        Reply
  15. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Ouch! Painful to read. But I agree with what you said that sometimes people are so self-focused that they don’t even realize others have their own they’re going through. It’s a lot 🙏

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. Absolutely, people need to realise that there’s a lot more going on in the world 💕

      Reply
  16. utahan15 Avatar
    utahan15

    i know all about it
    i was an accident
    dad was 63 and mom 48
    youngest of five
    all of us autistic
    and god knows only what else
    second cousins
    hate and jealousy
    mania and envy
    hated twelve years of hell
    in public schools
    living with majority members
    of a cult
    literal mindless fools
    rage from my cage
    mental and physical too
    well enough
    in short yes i do too!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      That must have been so incredibly difficult for you, I’m sorry you went through that. I had a tough time in high school too and feel I still suffer from that trauma so I can relate.

      Reply
      1. utahan15 Avatar
        utahan15

        i know you can. that s why we get along.

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          Sending hugs my friend.

          Reply
  17. Stella Reddy Avatar
    Stella Reddy

    🌞

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      💕

      Reply
  18. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    Powerhouse read right here, Pooja. And yes, you are 100% correct. People these days get to focused on themselves and their own petty needs that we forget about our fellow men and women. From time to time, that is understandable. When it’s your default setting, it’s time for some serious reassessment.
    And no worries about being late. I will post it with next week’s roundup!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, exactly. We forget that everyone has their own problems and that we need to be more understanding/kind.
      Thank you, much appreciated!

      Reply
  19. Shweta Avatar
    Shweta

    Ohh that’s a hard-hitting, evocative poem, Pooja. You’re so right. We can get so caught up in our lives that we never truly know what’s going on with others. Empathy is not for everyone. Even worse is when they try to pass off something else as empathy. Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeves. We never truly know the struggles that someone else might be going through. We can’t start comparing our pain to others in an attempt to console them too. The last year had been a rather difficult time in my life and I’ve had people tell me that they think they have gone through something much worse than me, and so I should be okay with what happened to me. That did not make me feel better at all. Sometimes people don’t know to say the right things, sometimes they make matters worse, intentionally or unintentionally.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, exactly. Everyone gets so preoccupied with their own lives that we forget that others are struggling too. And true, trying to one up someone’s experiences and dismissing them because “it could have been worse” or because they’ve had it worse is not the answer. As they say, you can drown in a pond or an ocean. Just because someones experience isn’t as bad as yours doesn’t mean it wasn’t bad.

      Reply
      1. Shweta Avatar
        Shweta

        Yes. Comparison does not make it better at all. Regardless of the depth, drowning is not pleasant at all. Well said, Pooja.

        Reply
  20. Loku Avatar
    Loku

    Last two days were painful. This evening is relaxing and peaceful.

    It’s important that we understand our own and our family/friends pain.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I’m glad things are better today. And yes very much agree.

      Reply
  21. SiriusSea Avatar
    SiriusSea

    Wow Pooja <3 … You gave a powerful voice to many of us through these questions to the poetic universe !!!! Opening eyes, minds, and hearts is a gift you possess … and we are blessed with your divine presence !!!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Aw thank you so much, that is very high praise! 😊

      Reply
  22. clcouch123 Avatar
    clcouch123

    Good, searing work. As I thought about a theme, betrayal came to mind. Thorough betrayal from adulthood back to being born.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, I think betrayal would work well with this poem. Betrayed by those around you, betrayed by the world or perhaps just betrayed by circumstance.

      Reply
  23. Michele Lee Avatar
    Michele Lee

    Feels like a layering to Kindness Day, that took place the same day you wrote this piece – having empathy for others and what they might be going through. Thank you for sharing this message, Pooja. 🙏🏻

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yeah, I noticed the poem coincidentally went out on Kindness Day which was cool. Thanks so much 😊

      Reply
      1. Michele Lee Avatar
        Michele Lee

        Complementary and cool, yes. Thank you for the reminder of staying present and aware of the plight of others. 🙏🏻

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          You’re most welcome 😊

          Reply
  24. Mary K. Doyle Avatar
    Mary K. Doyle

    I heard and felt your words, Pooja. An emotional poem.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  25. Pennize Pics Avatar
    Pennize Pics

    Very good Pooj. I agree that many people brush off the feelings of others because they only care about themselves. And it is sad really. I try to understand the situations and feelings of everyone.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, a lot of people are preoccupied with their own issues and don’t notice that others are suffering too. It’s definitely sad.
      Thank you.

      Reply
  26. Gertrude_n Avatar
    Gertrude_n

    When you talk about your heart being ripped from your body, it reminds me the pain that comes from heart breaks.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, I think that pain could definitely be close to this one.

      Reply
  27. DEVANG UPADHYAYA Avatar
    DEVANG UPADHYAYA

    I love how lovely turn you make with it
    Just by seeing the image

    You are writing excellence my friend

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much, glad you liked the poem and image 😊

      Reply
  28. Baydreamer - Lauren Scott Avatar
    Baydreamer – Lauren Scott

    Your poem is powerful and evocative, Pooja, and the image is fitting. Most have felt pain, but pain comes in various forms and levels. But then when I saw the image, your last line ties it all together and is heartbreaking. A wonderful response to the prompt. ❤️

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much. Yes, I think we all experience intense pain in different forms. Thanks ❤️

      Reply
  29. Vanya Wryter Consulting Avatar
    Vanya Wryter Consulting

    Great poem! It touches on several origins and types of pain, as well as the depth of damage it causes!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you do much!

      Reply
  30. Sadje Avatar
    Sadje

    A very evocative poem Pooja. You’re very right that people often ignore the problems and pain of others.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. Yes, unfortunately so.

      Reply
  31. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    True. It’s very easy to centralize into ourselves, when we’re in pain especially.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yes, it’s a very human way to react. Unfortunately.

      Reply
      1. Stephanie Avatar
        Stephanie

        Sigh.

        Reply
  32. What Do You Know About Pain? – Review | Adam Fenner

    […] You may find the rest of the poem here. […]

    Reply
  33. AdamFenner Avatar
    AdamFenner

    Wonderful poem Pooja, I review poetry past and present on my own page.
    I hope you don’t mind, but I did that for this poem. I’ve shared the link below. If you have any issues, I’ll immediately take it down.
    Congrats, on the release of your first book, and I’m looking forward to seeing more great work from you.
    You may find the link to the review here.
    https://adamfenner.wordpress.com/2024/11/18/what-do-you-know-about-pain-review/

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Wow, thank you so much I so appreciate you sharing the poem. I’ll be sure to stop by the post as well again thank you so much I really appreciate it.

      Reply
  34. Mr. Ohh's Sideways View Avatar
    Mr. Ohh’s Sideways View

    It’s not what you know about pain. It’s what you know about getting past pain everyday and allowing yourself to be happy. You can never let pain define you. 🤣😎🙃

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      That’s very true, it’s about living despite the pain.

      Reply
  35. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    The poem depicts the image very well. He looks like he has a lot of inner pain… as do many people around us, carrying it silently.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much, yes I think a lot of people carry around inner pain.

      Reply
      1. Steve Avatar
        Steve

        You’re welcome.

        Reply
  36. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
    Not all who wander are lost

    Nicely done

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you.

      Reply
  37. jesusluvsall Avatar
    jesusluvsall

    I have lived with chronic pain for thirty years but Jesus gives me strength to keep going

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I’m so sorry you deal with that, I know you’ve had quite a few medical issues. I’m glad your faith gives you strength.

      Reply
      1. jesusluvsall Avatar
        jesusluvsall

        Thank you my fellow Jedi.

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          You’re very welcome.

          Reply
  38. tenzenmen Avatar
    tenzenmen

    This reminds me of the quote “When someone helps you while they are struggling too, that’s not help, that’s love.” Not sure who said it though.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      That’s a fantastic quote, thanks for sharing. That’s so true.

      Reply

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