Empire of Pain

What I mistakenly thought was sunburn turns out to be a case of shingles. Shingles, also known as zoster or herpes zoster, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. The term "shingles" comes from the Latin word "cingulum," which means belt or girdle; this is because the rash usually appears in a band or belt-like pattern.

Empire of Pain

Headache, the red sores, and pain
At times in waves, an ebb and flow
Strong tides break inside the brain
And I wish, I wish, that it would go

The ship is caught up in the storm
Strikes the rocks, breaking apart
Gradually falling apart, losing form
Too late the danger shown on chart

The fire ball in the sky, bright flame
Sound comes later: the shock wave
Reaching across air to shatter, maim
A deep mark on the earth to engrave

An empire of pain seen in many ways
Endures, time after time, endless days