The Vengeance Tree

Christianity touts forgiveness for all, but fact is forgiveness is only for the individual and rarely for others ...

The Vengeance Tree

Written By Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

Copyright © 2009 Marvin Thomas Cox

DBA: Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

All Rights Reserved

To those whom I have wronged,

“Do words exist which take away pain?

is there penance which can be done,

And hurt will not remain?”

“What salve or ointment might I offer thee,

my blood, my life, nailed to a tree?

Oh, that such an offering would bring to you peace,

and all your pain quietly cease.”

“Pain festers within you from wrongs received,

grasping for vengeance that sweet relief.

Can you not see you are feeding a fire,

one which consumes through hateful desires?”

“And when, at last, an end to me you see,

tasting the sweet vengeance you fervently seek,

'twill be the end of you, as well as of me,

as we face each other upon that tree.”

“Your goal at last so greatly achieved,

mission accomplished though heart deceived,

hanging upon the vengeance tree!

Nails through you, and nails through me!”

“This tree takes no prisoners, offers no quarter.

It knows not mercy, nor bribe, nor barter.

It renders stripe for stripe, pain for pain,

innocent or guilty no living remain.”

“As the driver of nails and pierced alike,

are sentenced together through hateful spite,

when an ounce of forgiveness would have bought,

that ease of pain which both have sought.”

“An example was set for us each to see,

by a Jewish man who was nailed to a tree.

'Father forgive them, they know not what they do,'

as he breathed his last, like me, and like you,

for death comes for us all … A reality all too true ...”

(Written June 22^nd, 2009)

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

no forgiveness leads to a really heavy heart...this poem reminds me somewhat of Langston Hughes' poem "Cross"---
as I see the piece, he is speaking of the heavy burden of anger and how forgiveness eases that burden quite a bit. Anger is a cross to bear in itself....
and the presentation here reminds me also of Robert Creeley and his conversation poems.
j.

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham]

Jacob,

Your are correct in you assessment: Forgiveness never leads to a heavy heart, but a brighter heart and a lightened heart and inner mind's load ... Anger, resentment, and hatred always lead to harmful effects, not just to said guilty party but, to those who harbor such feelings over a long period of time in refusing to let them go, seek reconciliation, and make peace with whomever is felt to have caused the believed reason for such feelings in the first place ... Otherwise, the result is a two sided cancer that afflicts and destroys the life of both alleged perp and offended victim, and in such a scenario there is no winner, there is no true justice, because resentment, anger, hatred, and seeking of vengeance destroys everyone and all involved in such sadly tragic situations ... There is literally no such thing as getting even, not in the long run of human emotions and Humanity based reality ... Vengeance comes at a high price: One's own peace of mind and sanity ...

Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Death indeed comes for us all. Rich or poor, good or bad. Ethical or immoral. It matters not we will eventually find ourselves upon that same hanging tree. A very strong message that asks each of us to reflect upon ourselves. What legacy do we choose to leave behind. Because in the end that is all you will be remembered for. An excellent write my friend.