mercy's edge

on mercy's edge we cling
wishing, wanting, bleeding
for gracious touch we sing
in joy, in time, in peace

on mercy's edge we share
giving, praying, clinging
forgiveness comes unaware
in time, in peace, undeclared

on mercy's edge we bleed
panting, grasping, sharing
humanity shares the seed
in peace, in war, in deed

on mercy's edge we join
uniting, reviving, surviving
mankind renewed by loin
in war, in deed, we mourn

on mercy's edge we cling
wishing, wanting, bleeding
for gracious touch we sing
in joy, in time, in peace

© 2007 BY W. GARY FORRESTER

no peace today

a baby died today
burning flesh
life fled away
mother cried
when the soldiers
came

allah cried dismay
creation burned
and swayed
mullah's spat
when the soldiers
stayed

christ walked away
blood flowed
wounds displayed
fathers cursed
as the soldiers
obeyed

death played today
piercing souls
as prey
dancing merrily
when soldiers plied
their trade

desert burns in play
as god mourns
the day
he blessed
the soldiers
deadly tirade

no mercy in the clay
of mankind's
blistered way
pouring wrath
in the soldiers
wicked tray

no peace today
or any day
when in the dawn
man's ire is born
on the soldiers
shouldered play

warfare's way
cannot be made
a peaceful stay
peace is found
when soldiers place
their guns away

© 2007 BY W. GARY FORRESTER

they as us

someone pointed the way today
cleared a path for me
showed me
held my hand
it felt like they cared
in a scolding way
pity maybe
if not love

that human touch though
touched my soul
gave me
security abreast
it felt like they cared
in an insecure way
pathetic maybe
if not empathy

not exactly warmth
but yet not cold
guiding me
encouraging
it reached out to me
in a guarded way
frightened perhaps
but present

i love humanity still
in spite of us
thrilling me
caring
touching everyone
cautiously
knowing deep inside
we're the same

we can't escape our fleshly link
tying one to all
feeling me
wanting to know
understanding
gently
the struggle we share
together

you know me inside
in spite of the hate
we grow
bound as one
living
dependent
leaning and pushing
alive

i am thankful for the touch
the strangers hand
of camaraderie
love me as you
and i'll love you as me
we
they as us
joined

© 2007 BY W. GARY FORRESTER

tolly's lament

sometimes the pain is so great
the failure so straight
the compassion too late
the mind cannot support the weight

did the wrong
was where did not belong
evidence is strong
enduring is long

cannot take what is to come
cannot hide from the funeral drum
deserve only to succumb
fate is sealed and am numb

ending is better sometime
death the only sublime
only control is to climb
to punish my own crime

take my life in stride
honest to the end arrive
self punishment derived
only peace in suicide

© 2007 BY W. GARY FORRESTER

my heart's intent

who made you
judge and jury
of my soul?
dissecting my heart
autopsied intent
proclaiming it vile
the cause of love's
dying breath
and death

sleeve adorned
feelings galore
marred in innocent
banter judged
as slander
deemed to be
uncaring
insensitivity
unaware

how can you know
the intent of the soul
of another
sojourner?
words paint in
dimension's bounds
granting a view
only unsettled
ground

assume evil and
evil you find
veiled in composition
sublime
scathed scandal
hurtful ramble
judged actions
accountable
at birth

why must i
sell myself again
and repair
a vow unbroken?
proclaimed guilty
vile motive
professed
"i wasn't even there
your honor"

since you know
the intentions
of my soul
why don't you
know
the whole
of my love
for
you?

my words have life
all on their own
free
of interpretation
no parenthetical
secret guise
hidden
in obtuse
gesture

my love rests
in your hands
unchanged
but burdened
by fetters
and lashed
by cold lament
that thou knowest
my heart's intent

© 2007 BY W. GARY FORRESTER