What If

(in appreciation of Nicholette)

it feels as if pain
comes instantaneously
from a place in
one's own body;
even though we say
sharp or dull
the experience seems not to be
mediated by conceptions

what if instead of "Ouch!"
we learned that pain is
a gift, a blessing
a chance to notice
the fence is too straight
the boundary too strong
better to be crooked
better to be permeable

best no bounds at all
then even boiling
water does not burn
no "mine" to reach
no "me" to injure
no "I" to rage
if the thief cannot steal
there can be no crime

instantaneously
we would feel pain
as the end of suffering
the profound opportunity
to refine our life
our practice of extending
compassion to numberless beings
across eons of time