FORGIVENESS DOES NOT COME EASILY

Tolerance, even understanding,

can be won on the battleground of mind,

but forgiving does not come so easily.

There is always the anger and the pain…

pain at the loss of the treasure:

the once-dream of safety, of love,

a dream secured by innocence.

When anger still curls round and round

taunting in whispers:

“You were cheated, cheated”—

the heat electrifies the air,

rumbling like the far away thunder

of a storm that cannot tear itself

into mere wisps of nothing—

Forgiving does not come easily.

And fear remains unconvinced

by the years removed from harm—

for in a moment,

at an unexpected nuance

of voice or hand,

memory…

banished memory…flinches.

No, forgiving does not come easily.