I.
pale little scroll of pale yellow
raising tiny fist, straightening,
shivering out from winter’s dirt
that kind of Forgiveness
even when none is asked
even when it is undeserved
even though there seems no reward
other than simply proving
that kind of forgiveness
II.
teary-eyed daughter, yelling from time-out,
“soooorrrrreeeeee”, to which mother says,
“show not tell”, and the wait is long,
for she is stubborn, but her little brother passes
a crumple of misspelled words
conceding his guilt just to appease her
“I’m sorry I made you mad”
that kind of forgiveness
III.
city in flames, heroes’ return to scorn,
a second deployment honorably served,
a tri-folded flag, a mother’s knees shivering
in a cold cemetery memorial
and she still sings the anthem
tears streaming down her face
as she accepts a legacy
of being a Gold Star mother
and still proud of being American
that kind of forgiveness
III.
a courtroom, a child, a predator,
a father reaches out to take his enemy
in his arms in a weeping embrace
that kind of forgiveness
IV.
she knows it is not for that other
but so she can bear to live
beyond the atrocities
that she craves, needs, prays for,
her own peace, her own piece of
that kind of forgiveness
Author notes
Inspired by: "Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions."
-- Gerald Jampolsky
In a list
A contest entry
- Inner Peace by Kari.
1500 points, ended May 27, 2008, 15 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Excellent
Wow, what an incredible poem. So deserving of the gold. Congratulations.
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WOW! This piece gave me tears, and chills. This is really incredible and very totally well done..I just am wow words can't say at the moment, I might have to come back and comment when I have regrouped myself!
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ty so much Hecate..... I have had need to learn about forgiveness.... and I am amazed how easy it is after I get past the bluster and msuter up the courage.
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Forgiveness is not the fruit of release served to another's pie. It is the reward we serve ourselves to say I will not let my life beheld in the past by someone else's deservice and lies. You catch so well the forgiveness needed to be courageous and move on when it would be so easy to drown in the pain that surrounds.
Love, Tom B.
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Of anythign UI do not wish..it woudl be to be pitied..... I do not muddle in puddles too long.
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Every word from the title to the last had me in tears and goose bumps...You tend to do that to a person...That is called being a true poet....
SIgh...I just love your words, my friend...
Lynda
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Bless your heart, my dear pen friend...that it touched you is all a poet could ask for.
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