Leverage

Pain
Colonises completely
Melts certainty — resistance
Controls more absolutely
Than anything else

At all costs
It seeks only
Its end

Other than how
A society’s laws prohibit
Regulate, exploit
Monetise

Access to pain relief
On what metric
Can any society be ranked
Civilised
Or otherwise

When controlling access
To pain relief
Is structurally identical
To crucifixion
By another means

To see the pain
As leverage
To exert control

Is the oldest evil
The most reliable

Business model