the choice

I burned my fingers the other day 

on a hot stove element just to see how it felt, 

and although I tried I couldn’t cry, 

instead reflected with slight anguish at the disparity between you and I. 

the differences, 

there are many, 

from our hair to our hips to our toes, 

there are many. 

yet this is not why I cringe. 

our colours and shapes are not the source of my distress,

no, not even the reddened coils that singed my fingertips are the cause of this mess. 

but as I started to blister and stared in awe at my throbbing tips I embraced the pain entirely, 

and I could feel it making me stronger;

where as when you scraped your knee last week you hollered at the world, 

eyes flickering from wounds to audience with a frown 

that does nothing but ask for pity and adds wrinkles between your brows. 

while you coddle that pain by your bosom, 

you’ll nurse it as a new born, 

as if your pain is all that you are and as if you had a say in it’s creation; 

pain is a part of us, 

but my friend, misery is a choice. 

Reviews

[khalid]

i have really enjoyed reading this poem. i dont know why you write it in the shape of story or chapter although it is a very nice rhyming poem! i hope you can rewrite it making it looks like a poem because nothing lacks it to be. it has so many images of love, passion and challenging although it sounds so sad. i like the idea that misery is a choice. we know that but we still live it and complain from it. the idea of trying pain in order to feel it looks like raising a baby and sometimes you have to make them feel the pain of fire to make him know that it is dangerous. i think you are your baby here! i loved this feeling. great work really

[FJ Davis]

This is an extremely well done, smartly styled piece. And, while you make your points dramatically and, apparently, effectively, I do not see how self-inflicted pain is any less a choice than misery. In fact, it seems like more of a choice.
Where, good poetess, am I going wrong?

[jessdixon]

I love the message of this poem. I wasn't sure where it was going at first, but you seemed to unfold it at the perfect time. It really is too bad when people choose to be miserable.

[Day]

thank you, all!

[Kaa Na Kalyanasundaram]

Rightly saying that misery is a choice to a human life. Fantastic thought and way in which your presentation is highly commendable. My best wishes.

[...]

. brilliantly said, dear poet ...
. indeed "misery is a choice" ...
. and the bitterness that brings it about is toxic ...

[Alessander]

reminds me of a scene from Tolstoy when a woman slammed the door on her fingers just so she could feel...

[Mauricio Montoya]

Tough choice for a hot item but I think you’ve done a great job in bringing this together. Keep on writing.

[Frankie]

This is beautiful, wonderful, and oh, gosh, I can't think of any other words to describe this art! So smooth and gentle, yet sharp and makes an impression at the same time. Very thought-provoking, and you pulled it off fabulously. Well done!