Absolution

A single mistake can forge years of heartache.

She couldn’t remember
How long she had been running
Beneath a sky of amber watercolors
Painted by the sun’s departure into evening.

A history she cannot rewrite
The world gnawingly wears thin
Antagonized by a heart no longer listening
Stained upon her soul a blight
A promise of unforgotten sins
Released in blackened tears mourning.

She enters a resting ground
For the lingering and recently passed
No thought to where she is bound
Trying to escape the mind’s endless lambaste.

Kneeling before a sleeping angel statue
The weight of burden grows heavy
And thoughts become unsteady
Her life once of virtue
Has been stricken with misery
That engrossed her heart like ivy
Blowing a kiss with it’s final adieu.

That fateful night
Forever imprinted in nightmarish memory
Drove her to seek out respite
From a world chillingly grown dreary.

Rationality drowned in a bottle
Feet pressed on the pedals
Two friends vanish down the road
A single, one night mistake
Forged years of heartache.

Holding back nothing
And repenting everything.
She begs for forgiveness
A wish to abandon the darkness
Punishment through damnation
Or release through absolution.

Snaking tears fall of ebony
Upon the stone of polished ivory
Each carry a promise
To right this terrible wrongness.

Humans are fallible
And we all make errors.
But it is finitely noble
To forgive thyself in matters
After all others
Have done so.

Author's Note

An older poem from 2009.

Reviews

[Tony Jordan]

Hi Jack (oops pardon that pun).
Indeed some decisions we take will be milestones and some milestones in our Life journey.

A cautionary tale. Particularly relevant for this holiday period.

I like the novel use of 'engrossed' - cool as...

The final stanza reads like a voice-over full of wisdom.
Well penned!

[Jack Necron (Aubrey Jack Peaslee)]

Haha nice pun. True, despite if they lead to a better or worse road, they shape what lies ahead. That's good to hear because that's what I was trying for, I wanted to break away from the scene with her and end with a sort of message to the reader. Thank you for the review and for stopping by, it's appreciated!

[Tony Jordan]

Mission accomplished my friend.

[HeyJadeXO]

you capture lifes journey very well here.Very beautiful

[Jack Necron (Aubrey Jack Peaslee)]

Thank you very much for your comment and for reading, it's appreciated!

[Valentine]

Many could learn about life just reading this poem. So much truth in it. Nice going. Valentine

[Jack Necron (Aubrey Jack Peaslee)]

Thank you, I'm glad you like it. As always I appreciate your insights Valentine!