A Forgiveness

“That curse shall be Forgiveness!”

BYRON’S Childe Harold

FORGIVE? Yes,--but I cannot forget, For the deathless Soul is strong, And God himself can never efface Its memory of a Wrong; And though you are dead and laid in your grave And the evil you wrought is done, Though your lips are cold in the covering mould, Yet your dastard Lie lives on!

Forgive? Yes,--but I cannot forget The merciless, murderous thrust Of your treacherous hand with its backward blow When you killed my whole life’s trust; Craving my pity, you broke my heart And slandered my name and fame,-- By the Christian creed, I forgive you, coward! Let the pardon be your shame!

Forgive? Yes,--as the Christ forgave When the Judas kiss was given, And Hell suck’d down the traitor’s soul While his curse was pronounc’d in Heaven! Nothing so low, and nothing so base As a stab in the back of a friend, And those who saw you handle the knife Scarce wonder’d at your end!

Forgive? Yes,--my forgiveness shall burn On your grave in “coals of fire,”-- It shall kindle into a flame and leap To the height of my life’s desire, It shall reach straight up to the gates of God, And there like a Sword shall stay, And, lest you come sneaking out of Hell It shall bar your heavenward way!

It shall warn you off with the lightning flash Of an honest faith betray’d-- It shall shut you out from the garden of God, And hold you back afraid,-- Like a torch of terror adown your dark Its endless flare shall shine, And spread like a widening gulf of fire Between your spirit and mine.

Forgive? Yes--but I shall not forget! I shall keep your name in my prayers, That God may remember as well as I The infamous taint it bears! I forgive--I forgive! But I shall not forget;-- And as long as the great worlds roll, My forgiveness shall be as the seal of doom Fired down upon your soul!