The Whiskey Taster’s Flavor Guide

EVEN STILL

EVEN STILL (forgiveness contest)

The genuine is never earned,
Though the gift may be spurned--
Refused, discarded, perhaps burned.

Even still,
Forgiveness will,
Its sacred task
Seek to fulfill.

And mend what wrong has broken,
Heal the hurt of words misspoken--
So much more than a mere token.

Even now,
And evermore,
Forgiveness offers
So much more.

The weight it lifts from heavy heart--
Only beginning, just the start
Of new life that grace imparts.

Even when
The sting still burns,
And vengeance
Fiercely yearns,

Peace replaces heated pain
When grace becomes our refrain--
Given freely and never in vain.

Even though
A debt is unpaid,
It’s powerless
To keep us stayed.

When mercy is our coin of choice,
“I forgive you” takes sincere voice--
Our raptured soul shall rejoice.

The gift that frees the giver,
The gift that opens hearts,
The gift that mends fences,
The gift of new starts.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

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Canerdy Avatar
September 17, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Danny, your forgiveness poem is very sincere and moving. The key is sincerity. When one asks for forgiveness, the wronged person must FEEL the sincerity. If I say, "I'm sorry, BUT . . . " I've already implied that I'm NOT really sorry! Janice
Derden Avatar
September 17, 2025 at 7:39 AM
If we don't mean it the words have no power to heal...and if the receiver won't receive it...well choices made, choices paid. A hard lesson for someone like me, but I'm glad I finally learned it...and that applies to forgiving oneself as well...that was super hard.
Etgen-Baker Avatar
September 16, 2025 at 5:45 PM
great contest contender. I especially liked: The gift that frees the giver, The gift that opens hearts, The gift that mends fences, The gift of new starts. best wishes with the contest!
Derden Avatar
September 16, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Thank you. Forgiveness heals the forgiver regardless of how it is received. Took me a long time to learn this lesson.
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The Whiskey Taster’s Flavor Guide
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace