Bow your head to the ritual of collective suffering

Dare to submit to pain

Clench your fist on the spikes connecting you

to the one with a plastic bag over their head

Is intimacy what you’re after?

Hold the rock over their head

and pray your muscles won’t fail you

Forced love story in the making

Locked into each others eyes

Lavender flower bridging your mouths

Nowhere to hide

How long can you last?

Tremble with the metal wedging into your heel

Begging to be connected to her with the stick

to feel the pain in your thigh extended to her rib

Eyes closed mouth open saliva dripping on the floor

what puddle you have created

Messy drooly thing shaking from exhaustion

Those watching are left with guilt for not surrendering

too weak to join?

No whips in sight

Collective human sculpture

Pain installation

Sounding flesh shaky (m/gr)oans

What are you suffering for?

Is that your sacrifice to feel one with others?

An hour has passed

You’ve been touched by many hands

Shaping you in your obedience

You’ve endured, transformed and alchemysed

The ritual left you high

The damp walls witnessing your process

The cold floor soaking up your spit, sweat and screams

What are you suffering for? Is it selfish?

Do just want to belong?

An hour has passed

You’re laying down

Is it really ever over?