The Unfinished Hurts

Birth with all its pain for the mother

is painful for the child

The pain of a child's first fall

is still with the child as it grows

A parent's separation and indifference

is still with the child as it grows

The first time a child is told “no”

remains with the child forever

The first love is a constant pain

when the love is squelched or lost

The loss of a friend for differences

is a pain that stays inside

The pain of an unfinished project

resulting in a lost improvement

Missing childhood for a parent's dream

is a pain that only grows stronger

Denying yourself the love of another

to please someone else is pain that grows

Reaching an age when there is no love

is a pain that grew when it wasn't noticed

Mistakes that remain unspoken

are crashed cymbals when praying

Rocks thrown in play hurt the same

as rocks thrown in anger with a lasting pain

The deepest scars are the ones we put

inside ourselves with our hands and words

Barry G. Wick