Eating Pain--By Edilson Afonso Ferreira--Brazil

Eating Pain

From so long, I have been affected

by heavy lots of pain and sufferings,

as if a fee were due to being alive.

Sometimes I revolt and get nervous,

sometimes I resign myself to destiny.

Last evening, having dinner at the table,    

I could not avoid pouring abundant tears,

which washed my hands and my bread.

So, I remembered the Last Supper, where

Our Lord had blessed the bread with wine,  

leaving it as consecrated leavening to endure

coming days and times of beloved humanity.

I ate this bread, seasoned by salty hot tears,

with the joy of the righteous,

and, conscious of the miracle of the moment,  

I also ate and put an end to the lack of faith.

Edilson Afonso Ferreira is a Brazilian poet who writes in English rather than Portuguese. Recent works have appeared in Red Wolf Journal, Right Hand Pointing, Creative Talents Unleashed (Featured Poet), Indiana Voice Journal, The Lake, Young Ravens, Whispers, Every Day Poems, Dead Snakes, among others; in The Basil O’Flaherty he will be the July 2016 Featured Poet. Ferreira lives in a small town with wife, three sons and a granddaughter and, unhurried, is collecting his works for a forthcoming book. He began to write at age 63 (nine years ago) after retirement as a Bank Manager.