The Lie of Forgiveness
Betrayal is strange—
once you’ve done it,
you kneel for forgiveness
as if asking someone
to betray themselves
for your sake.
You want their mercy,
but mercy means bending
a rule they never thought
they’d break.
And forgiveness?
It’s a well-dressed lie.
A theater of healing
played in cracked mirrors.
You think once the word is spoken,
the weight dissolves,
that time rewinds.
But we both know—
it doesn’t.
Even the forgiver
feels the shadow.
We hold hands,
but check the grip.
We laugh,
but hear the echo.
We love,
but we measure it now.
Is it really forgiveness
if the heart still flinches
when the wind shifts?
Or maybe it’s just me—
counting how many times
I almost choose
pettiness over peace,
truth over kindness,
pride over grace.
Maybe
I’ve forgiven.
Maybe
I’ve only paused
the punishment.
Maybe
we never forgive.
We just forget
to stay angry.
Copyright © Sarah Moncada | Year Posted 2025
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