The Principle of Pain

The principle of pain,
teaches that you need the rain.
In order to appreciate the sunshine.
The principle of pain
teaches that you need to be made aware,
what is underneath here and there.
The principle of pain,
teaches that growth comes at a cost.
One that does not learn
will only know less and loss.

So while I am in school,
graduating with honors.
Instead of being in front of your honor.
Where is the well wishes,
pats on the back when you need em'
If you nuture agony,
something is going to feed em.
Everybody going through something.
So dont think its about you.
I just wish hell,
that there is something better to do.

Common sense is free and heaven sent,
but hell to pay for it.
So most of the time we all rent,
a room in heartbreak hotel.
I long for the days of Monday night with Howard Cosell.
But now the games are for sell.
Four letter networks cant see us.
So they feel like braille.
Life was so simple way back then.
Life was so nice with all my friends.
But now life got us in a matrix,
if there isnt one, they invented it to fix.
Our minds flow freely but only under conditions.
Our hearts tear constantly over positions.
And pain is my only friend.
So we spend countless days and nights playing pretend.
Like everything is cool,
when Im a sneeze away from drowning in the pool,
in my tears.

What is pain now trying to teach me.
Why is it so hard to reach me?
Maybe I just cut off my cellphone.
Maybe I just want to be all alone.
Maybe Im just tired of the same.
Maybe Im just tired of women and their games.

But pain is a friend.
There are no falsies or pretends.
She keeps it real no matter what.
She keeps it honest with no buts.
Im just wondering is life all in vain.
While I get my PhD in the principle of pain.


Richard J Wright (2009)

Taken from Anthology: The Secret Lives of Richard J Wright