Have you ever lost important keys, your heart has filled with dread
Or had to wear ill fitting shoes that pained you half to death
But the keys you then found oh what relief, it really made your day
And those nasty shoes, you took them off and whew, the pain went away
Although you found the keys with such joy you didn't think it wise
To lose them once again on purpose just to realise
That if you found them yet again you'd feel that joy once more
You didn't put the shoes back on to happily take them off again, I'm sure
But the relief and pleasure a smoker feels when they light up a smoke
Is caused by the ending of unease and pain and that is what is the joke
The smoker has an unconscious fear which permeates his life
That his nicotine levels have gone too low and that this will give him such strife
Each time he lights a cigarette the fear vanishes for a short time
He draws back deep, he sighs relief but doesn't realise his crime
That the pleasure and comfort he loves to feel are caused by the ending of doubt and pain
As soon as he finishes his cigarette it starts all over again
Much more time is spent in angst and pain only briefly spent in pleasure
If he could remove his fear of low nicotine he could sit back and relax at leisure
(Sydney, Australia - 2003)
Alessandra Liverani
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pleasure-and-pain/
