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Never Forget
“We must develop the capacity to forgive--for
there is some good in the worst of us, and some
evil in the best of us.”--Martin Luther King.
Forgiveness is a bigger word
than love; more profound,
more letters, more complications.
It is the shining corner stone
for most religions.
I mean, we hope to hell
that there really is a God,
so that on Judgement Day,
He/It/She will forgive us our sins.
Even though I don’t think
the word asshole
is in the Bible, the Koran,
or the Tibetan Book of the Dead,
basically we count on some higher power
forgiving us for having been an asshole.
I am more comfortable
with the Zen notion that
our very own Higher Self--
you know, the spiritual entity
that continues to exist after
our divers meat sacks are discarded,
will be the only judge of our behavior
in this lifetime; the karmic debt
transfer issue is still confusing to me.
As my self, I find it difficult
to truly forgive anyone
for a pregnant plethora of possible
grievous and negative infractions.
I am able to accept, adjust,
and accommodate, but not actually
forgive--and certainly not forget.
It’s like I have a special chamber within,
where I file the injustices, inequities,
insults and injuries that I have suffered.
I don’t think of it as holding grudges;
rather I believe it is just logical
to keep track of the red flags,
cons, betrayals, and wounds.
I have been snake-bit.
I did not forgive the snake;
I killed and ate it.
Glenn Buttkus
Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub
14 comments:
I think there is an aspect of this poem in all of us. Few of us are saints. All of us are sinners, and for every grudge we carry, I'm sure someone carries one for us. I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately and have made some progress, but there is always a new blame to conquer. Good poem!!
Absolutely right on my man. I tracked with you every step of the way. To go a step further, I truly believe our higher self monitors our every moment, and deals out necessary punishment or reward, as is appropriate. It’s is gratification and guilt. Oh dude, you made mr actually LOL with haiku... fuck that snake, or rather - eat that snake... 😂
I hope that snake tasted good. I probably would have been satisfied with just killing it.
Glenn, if you read my poem, you'll see some similarities to what you wrote. 100% on board with everything you said.
I can so relate to your poem - I have a list in my memory too of all the wounds and errors and mistakes. But I have found it to be burdensome specially with the recent deaths in our family. It finally made sense for me to let some things go and start over. I like your snake eating poem too. I think you are brave to eat it.
We can only speculate on what we don't know for sure... What we do know is the importance of forgiving ourselves for things we regret. It is nice to say we forgive everybody, but that is probably not to realistic. At best we don't let them have a place in our current life. when it comes to God, I much prefer to believe in Grace rather than vengeance!
We may say we forgive, but when it really comes down to it, do we? I wouldn't eat the snake, but I'd be on the lookout for one in the future.
Honest and true, Glenn, and the haiku has a punch to it! I too am more comfortable with Zen philosophy and I have, after five years of anxiety and doubt, come to accept, adjust, and accommodate to the situation with my youngest sister, but I can’t forgive or forget her. I like the lines about keeping track of the red flags, cons, betrayals, and wounds.
This was amazing Glenn. So many lines of wisdom, but I am left feeling that the digestion of the snake is where the true meaning is. When we become able to glean nourishment from the transgression when it causes us to fortify ourselves forgiveness has become a stepping stone. Lovely.
saying we can forget is not truth, we don't ever, and that is alright because to do so means we say the transgression is permitted, when it isn't. i like reading about the honesty on your heart, these are what good friends are made of.
Wrote something here at this link below, that I’d like to share with you Glenn. It is on a site that offers visual prompts. I am excited about it at the moment. Time will tell!
https://helenevaillant.com/2019/02/26/10678/#comment-9545
Such an evocative poem, Glenn. Higher power, inner voice, Zen, Buddha, Mother Earth, whatever.... I think forgetting is impossible, but forgiving is simply letting go the bitterness caused. Too many injustices stored in a backpack can become a worrisome burden!!
O I love the haiku in the end... why forgiving anyone but yourself, though it might be worth it trying to forget the minor grievances
Glenn, this is excellent thought and writing. Ilove that haikust the end.
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