Starved

Munching on a bagel in Madison Square Gardens, New York

Pain

It hides itself

In the plain light of day

In every bite I take

Hoping the taste on my tongue

Will numb

The ache

It hides itself

In every laugh that’s fake

In every act we play

In every word we say

The truth knocks

From somewhere inside

“Let me out” it cries

But we wash it down

With whiskey and dry

“Shoosh you”

I’m trying to get through

Each day in this crazy age

Without fading away

It hides itself

In each shallow breath

Each time we text our ex

Each time we take a toke

Or make a crude joke

Each time we mindless scroll

Just trying to forget the toll

That this world takes on us

It’s trying to break us

Pain

Sometimes it breaks through

And totally consumes

No distraction method

No concerted effort

Will whisk it away

And so it remains

It seeps in each pore

I eat, but what for?

The hole I feel is not in my belly

It’s next door

In my heart

The place where it all starts

Most days I don’t feel it at all

But some days

The pain buried deep in my core

Reminds me

Try as I might to get my fill

I’m empty still

A poor hungry beggar

Starved

Of love