The Poetry Corner

Unpardoned

By John Frederick Freeman

Gentle as the air that kisses The splendid and ignoble with one breath, Gentle as obliterating Death-- Though you be gentler yet, In days when the old, old things begin to fret The backward-looking consciousness, Will you forget? Or if remembering, will you forgive? But there is one severer. Stung by your forgivingness so great Shall I forgive you then?-- Basest of men Would rise in bitterness and sting again. Not if you should forget Could I forget: Or if remembering, myself could I forgive? Never! And yet such things have been, And ills as dark forgiven or forgot. But in those black hours when the heart burns hot And there's no nerve that's not Quick with the sense of things unheard, unseen-- A terrible voice that's mine yet not mine cries, "Can that Eternal Righteousness Remembering forgive?"