There is a hurt inside of us all
Every person who you see
Is somewhere on the path
Of dealing with their pain
A wound finally healed
A heart recently broken
A trauma triggered
An illness resurfaced
A letting go of grief
An acceptance of a loss
A relatively okay day
A tentative sigh of relief
A return to nearly normal days
Whoever’s eyes you meet
Stranger, friend, or foe
You have the shared experience
Of surviving pain alone
Poems of Pandemic Days by Alice Curley 