Home » Poems » Ngoc Nguyen » ''To Err Is Human: To Forgive, Divine''--Alexander Pope

Notes About The Poem

*“err”: (archaic meaning) i.e., to sin or to transgress (against another); to commit rebellion against, disobey, or offend (the Deity; the Divinity; the LORD; God; Jehovah; YAHWEH; etc.)

''To Err Is Human: To Forgive, Divine''--Alexander Pope

African-American and abusive, my late step-dad 
     was a reverse racist:
an army sergeant; a Vietnam vet; and, a backhand,
     face-hitting sadist.

I once bemoaned that I was a white child
     (as if it were my fault!?)
and that he was black and resentful of me.
     So, once in reckless revolt

against his ongoing abuse,
     I rebelled under my breath
and uttered the "n" word at him
     (so he beat me nearly to death).

Bruised, I never uttered that word again;
     then mom and he divorced
as I grew older (which freed us at last!):
     now unrivaled (with no remorse),

I suddenly was the man of the house; and life
     for us seemed less stormy.
For the first time in years we lived without abuse;
     and, at last, we were a family.

Then I got religion and met God;
     and gave myself to Christ.
It was the best thing I ever did!
     Born again, I thus was sufficed.

So the scars of my step-dad's abuse which
     for years I had repressed
began to heal and disappear; and so I became
     less and less oppressed.

Now old, my erstwhile step-dad developed
     advanced swelling of the lung;
I had not forgiven him yet (back when
     I was still angry and young).

Not yet able to forgive him for the abuse that
     made our lives so unbearably grim,
I nevertheless still realized that the weight 
     of still having hatred for him 

was far worse than my pain. I recognized 
     that in life we all transgress 
and come short of God's glory: so, moved by
     His grace and forgiveness,

I made the right choice to forgive him;
     for me a daily, ongoing process,
I at last began to let go of the anger 
     and truly begin to move past the mess
 
that was my step-dad's legacy to me. Also, I  
     began to forgive God;
for He was not to blame for him (whose own
     father, too, did not spare the rod).

Still, tho' I had chosen to forgive (him) and let go,  
     he was unmoved and unchanged as ever:
but I, however, realized that what truly mattered
     was that forgiveness set me free forever!

When at last he died, I had already completely
     let go (so that he was forgiven).
Now I can only ask of God whether my step-dad
     was changed from his glimpse of heaven?

abuseangerforgivenessgodhopenarrative

♡Like0

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.