Forgiveness Holds It All

by Frank Jauregui

Father,

that night, she whispered
balm into your ear ~ close dancing.
Laughingly she called you strong and wise beneath the stars~
back home from mother's lips ~ out with the boys and drinking!

That night I saw my Sun fall into darkness ~
Sinking,
deep ~ into the night ~ that night in which I truly felt alone.
In a house full of daughters and I, your only son ~
In a house full of reproach and I, the only one,
who somehow understood and yet ~ still felt the pain, the hurt,
brought on by the uncaged word...,
Betrayal!
That night, its claws pried loose the nails
of trust, peace, security ~ from that once stout and sturdy house
that took so long to build.
And every night thereafter ~ I heard the popping, creaking, screeching,
of burdens falling, shifting, lifting,
from one weakened wall unto another,
until I thought it all together, would come crashing down on
Me.
Blinded that night ~ I failed to see
that Faith and Grace had been there with me through it all.
And though they seemed so far and out of reach,
I heard them singing ~ each to each ~ songs of triumph, love, and joy,
songs that as a boy ~ I could hardly understand.

Then ~suddenly ~ quite suddenly,
Faith reached deep into the night ~ took hold my hand and cried aloud,
Forgiveness!
Grace echoed, sweetly sang ~~~~ Forgiiiiiivenesssssss ~~~~
And forgiveness answered!
Timidly at first, but then obediently it burst
~ out ~
from a forgotten corner in my heart.
A fiery, luminous dart ~ It flew >>>>
broke through the darkness ~ blew new life into all dying things,
unfurled its glorious, healing wings!
And then..., just then,
when I thought all hope was lost ~ when I thought it all would fall,
Forgiveness ~ wrapped itself around it all ~
and kept our house from falling.

And father, to this day I hear Faith calling ~ Grace sweetly sings
her songs ~ of triumph, love, and joy.
songs that as a boy ~ I could not understand,
but now, I stand here as a man ~
Set free.

~ You see ~ what forgiveness did for you, it also did for me.
For you, it broke the chains of guilt and shame,
for me, the shackles of a life lived in fear,
of an impending fall that never came.
I stand here changed ~ I'm not the same.
And my love for you and for my God, bear witness of the truth ~
that night, and to this day ~~~ Forgiveness held!
And holds it all!

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Forgiveness Poem writing prompt entry

Writing Prompt
Write a poem of any type with the topic of forgiveness

As a Pastor and spiritual counselor, I have seen the power of forgiveness - firsthand and in the lives of others. It truly has the power to set the captive free from bitterness, which is often the root cause of anger and depression.

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Frank Jauregui has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

Forgiveness has the power to set the captive free.

Forgiveness Holds It All

by Frank Jauregui

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