Wittgenstein says: the words “It hurts” have replaced tears and cries of pain. The word “Pain” does not describe the expression of pain but replaces it. Thus it creates a new behaviour pattern in the case of pain.
The word enters between us and the pain like a pretence of silence. It is a silencing. It is a needle unpicking the stitch between blood and clay.
The word is the first small step to freedom from oneself.
In case others are present.
Holub, M. (2006) Brief reflection on the word Pain. In Poems Before and After (transl. I. Milna & T. Milna). Bloodaxe Books.
Miroslav Holub (1923–1998) was born in Pilsen, western Bohemia, He studied medicine at Charles University in Prague and trained as an immunologist at the Microbiological Institute of the Czechoslovak Academy of Science. He was a successful scientist but is best known for his poetry. His recognition followed the publication in 1967 of Selected Poems as part of Penguin's series on modern European poets. His poetry was proscribed in Czechoslovakia between 1970 and 1980. Another of Holub's poems was published in the August 2008 issue of the Journal.
Researched by Femi Oyebode.
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