Pleasurable Pain Poem by Charles Wamuti

In my small smoky room,
The voices of threats come through the windows,
Of two lovers fighting - again.
The him threatening to beat the her,
The her giving up and letting go of the quarrel.

When the him and her separate,
I observe the her,
Set herself to a self-destructive pattern,
Fuelled by pain, anger, disappointment,
Herself wanting to tear herself to shreds.

When the him and her separate,
I observe the him,
All consumed by thoughts,
Probably questioning and condemning himself,
Probably congratulating and exalting himself!

In a silent voice she tells me,
The whole story of their entanglement,
And love like wild forest fire,
Hot enough with no chance of possible eclipsing,
Then it all makes sense to me!

I can see the bruises in her body,
What more of the scalds in her heart?
I can see the agony in his face,
What more the disturbance in his spirit?
What more in these two?

Judge them not shall I,
For years past they met before I knew either,
Good times together they shared,
Memories that possibly keep them bound together,
Intimacy like a mother and a child!

But is it worth it to stay and suffer?
Separation - Is it a price so steep to pay,
Is lost love such a nightmare?
Loneliness and forlornness such a deep wound?
Cold nights such a disease?