A Poem On Rejection, Forgiveness & Moving On

When Forgiveness is Rejected

To offer forgiveness
Well,
It means that you’ve been hurt
And to say, “I’ve moved on”
Well,
It means that you’ve been burnt

Recently, I offered forgiveness
For,
I had bottled up my hurt
And the one whom to whom I offered it
Well,
He just wouldn’t accept these words

Expectedly, he offered rejection
Like,
He’d never been in the wrong
“Forgive me for what?” he asked
For,
These were still the lyrics of his song

“I offer you forgiveness,”
“For,”
“All of the emotional pain”
“And I offer it graciously”
But,
He just shook his head in disdain

I offered grace
And,
I offered it as best as I knew
I offered my heart upon sleeve
But,
That was rejected too

I didn’t offer another chance
For
This taker to take any more
He came close as he could
As,
If to widen the sore

I offered with boldness
To
My invader, a meek "No!"
I offered forgiveness
And,
I spoke firmly with grace
I realized reconciliation
Wasn’t,
Able to take place

Some will not offer
And,
Some will not accept,
Some will not own up,
And,
Acknowledge their debts

When we offer forgiveness
And,
That forgiveness is made cheap
And that forgiveness is declined,
Well,
We’ve turned the other cheek

But offering to turn a cheek
Isn’t,
Offering a blind eye
And letting an abuser,
Continue,
Isn’t admirable or high

So, if you offered forgiveness
Only
To find it shunned
You’ve done you’re part
Now,“Shake the dust off and move on”

--TMW Halcomb, 10/07