ELEGIAC: "FROM PAIN TO PAIN!" By ZEPHNATH JUDE POET EROBE N

All my life

has been a journey from one pain to another,

from one storm to the next,

no hand to hold,

no shoulder to rest my tears on.

I gave my heart in full honesty,

poured myself into people without fear,

yet halfway through the road

they turned back

and left me alone with my shadows.

The mystery of my sorrow

keeps breaking me into silent pieces

pieces I gather every night

just to survive the morning.

When I thought I had found peace,

it returned wearing the face of pain,

multiplied, deeper, heavier.

Those who promised me peace of mind

became the very reason

my mind no longer rests.

And still I breathe,

still I walk,

carrying a heart

that only wanted love

but learned endurance instead.

©️ ZEPHNATH JUDE POET EROBE N

-Nigeria

This poem is a poignant and heartbreaking elegy that chronicles the speaker's lifelong journey of suffering, abandonment, and resilience. Through stark imagery and emotional vulnerability, the poet conveys the pain of being left behind by others, despite their genuine efforts to love and connect. The poem's somber tone and fragmented structure mirror the speaker's shattered state, as they struggle to come to terms with the cyclical nature of their pain and the elusive search for peace. Ultimately, the poem emerges as a powerful testament to the human capacity for endurance, as the speaker continues to breathe and walk, carrying the weight of their wounded heart.