Mercy

A sad smile graces his lips as his hand comes forward to caress my cheek.
“Don’t touch me!”  I exclaim, seeming like a feral kitten.
He knows I dare not strike.

“Please…” He pleads.
And I know I have hit a nerve.

“I can’t bear it..”  I stammer. 
Why won’t he just leave me alone?
The tears in his eyes reflect the sadness in my own.
I cannot help but pity him.

Lovers, we once were.
But his worldly ways would not sate.
For I, alone, could not satisfy him.

In the worst way,
He left me.
In the worst way,
He betrayed me.

And now,
Here he is.
Begging for mercy--
My mercy.

But it is not mine to give.
I shall never give what is not mine to give.
Just as I shall never take what is not mine to take.

Once, I gave him my heart, my soul--
My everything,
And he spurned me.

He wants forgiveness.
He wants mercy.
But I cannot give him what is not mine to give.

“Go…” I say to him.
“Please…”  I beg of him.
I try to feign indifference.
But my voice betrays me.
This, he can see.
For his silence tells me everything.

As he turns to walk away,
I curse my outstretched hand as it, too, betrays me.
I won’t deny it--
I long for him.

But he is not mine to take.
I shall never take what is not mine to take.
Just as I shall never give what is not mine to give.

Reviews

[Lucinda Bogart]

What can I say that hasn't already been said ?? Wonderful.....I mean really really good...the betrayal of a lover, the betrayal of self...the self loathng for needing and wanting and giving in. Haven't we all felt that way at some time or the other or one relationship or another ?? Great stuff !!

[BelieveInCelia]

Beautiful write...
The heart and mind know exactly what is best...yet we are betrayed by 'self' ....

Celia

[Jordan "Paulo Vord..]

I like this poem, love is definately the way to go in poetry.

[Solis-Lopez]

awesome! ur sentence structure and the repetition give it a type of liveliness that made even me feel like someone betrayed me. 'course, someone has, so maybe the experience helped too? u've got a fan ^-^

[BeautyFromTheEarth93]

This was fantastic! I really liked this poem. It's harder to forgive than it is to forget.

[Poeticpiers]

forgiveness is not easy I am not sure whether you cannot forgive him or forgive yourself for wanting. A well witten and expressive piece of poetic prose

[None]

This is divine! What a way to express yourself. I could relate to your poem so very well. Great! Exceptional! Love it! Going in my favorites!

[Vatsayayana]

Ohhhh honey.
This is heart wrenchingly beautiful!
You've pierced me with this. How very sad.
But your writing and your flow of words is simply exquisite.
I love your style. I can't wait to see more!
Please please!

[Murphy]

"mercy - it is not mine to give"... simply coming to grips. I like it

[Jenny Davis]

The right way is never the easy way, I really liked how you expressed this :)

[SPINNING ON that dizzy ..]

I like this piece. There is so much turmoil in the decisions to be made, in the feelings that are so raw and vital. Never say never is what I say back at you! haha.... It just seems like with this relationship it will be hard to let it go and harder still to know if it is truly over.... Life is like that sometimes.....

Kath