The Pain Poem by Peter Hall

The pain is so great
I need some relief
The 50 pence Valium
stops the shameful creep.

PUH-LEASE don't judge me
I have nothing else
That puts the searing pain
Back on the emotional shelf

The alcohol Is addictive
It's easy to get and cheap
Stops me thinking of life
And helps a tortured sleep.

Don't you know I've lost everything
There's no reason to live
There's no hope here
There's nothing to achieve.

You'll put me in jail again
Because I've breached the peace
In 5 days open the doors
Only to ask me to leave.

You think you've solved the problem
By fixing things external
But you just don't understand
I am empty in the internal.

Then I'll go back to the pub
And see familiar faces
You think I seem confident
But I'm really staring at my laces.

The man offers me more Valium
This time only.45p each
I need more pain to dull
But I know that you can't see it.