You must have felt naked
Standing there
Having exposed your soul to me.
What was left that you might hide?
Every sinew of you was broken
Only your shell was recognisable.
No amount of reaching out
No amount of sympathy would lessen
Your overwhelming guilt.
Head bowed, eyes averted
Abashment oozing from every pore
Standing bereft of emotion.
You are empty, scuttled almost
Tears drip to the floor, unabated,
No point in hiding the inner shame.
You attempted sorrow, offered restitution,
Pleaded that I accept you, not reject you
Asked for forgiveness, why I asked?
I said not a word, listened to your outpouring,
Watched the humiliation you felt,
Inside I cried for you.
Shocked that I was silent, you questioned me,
As if waiting for me to drop the axe,
To sever all contact, cast you to oblivion.
I spoke softly, you looked up
Startled you into my reality
Mystified, that I would say such a thing.
The look of puzzlement, not what you expected
Why would I even bother, with a doormat such as you?
What did I want, to prolong your pain?
To hear forgiveness, love, compassion
Your sense of self given a jolt
Each day I said, each day, step forward.
Turn yourself around; you deserve a better life
Leave behind the cynics, the critics,
Be true to you, my love, I’m at your back.
Morpethroad 
What a beautiful message. Love your word choices, such as, “abashment” and “scuttled”.
Thank you Other Mary, its lovely to receive your comment. Thank you and please call again.
You called the poor soul a doormat….ouch.
Very emotional, lovely piece.
Thank you yes harsh but I used another source for the inspiration.
What a gift you gave to someone who felt so empty. Forgiveness, love, and compassion must have felt beautiful to her at such a low moment.
Thank you Mary. I appreciate your comment.
Absolutely beautiful! Painful, reassuring, and powerful. Great piece!
Thank you so much Jay, please call again. That’s a lovely comment.
I will call again. Would love to read more… Have a beautiful evening…
Please do.
empty and scuttled are perfect words for someone who feels they are completely shipwrecked. You done good again, Michael.
Thank you Lyn, I do appreciate you commenting on my work.
So much emotion… hard to watch, harder to have lived it. Thankful for forgiveness and the ability to forgive.
Thanks Debi I appreciate this comment. Please call again.
summerstommy2,
Thank you for coming by my blog and reading about Remi. I enjoyed this poem. There was an immensity and overwhelming heaviness to the the emotions about which you wrote. Your compassion and caring must have washed much of it away.
We all wish I think for the comfort a Remi would make in our lives. Thank you so much for reading my poem. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Michael
don’t you hate it when you read all the other comments and they have taken up the words that you want to use 😦 DITTO mate with the above…dare I say your writing is getting better & better by the day – see what not working is doing for you! (and don’t yell it was good before too) 😉
Thank you Jenny, you know I am a humble man and would not say that…..yet….
Pfft..yes I know you are…. for now …. 😉 Great work honestly.
Thank you
Thank you kindly…..
Michael .. this is a great write.. what a gift to be someone who is down.. forgiveness resurance and confidence.. yes growing again.. great choice of words
Thanks so much Bjorn, that is a lovely comment I appreciate it very much..
Wow! I have been there in that out-pouring of the soul, feeling the exact same way. I can tell you, the response you gave is what was needed. I received the opposite; it devastated me, This was very touching!
Thank you so much. Well not being the perpetrator allows my response, which is extending hope not further pain.
I wish more people were like you; offering hope instead of inflicting more pain, but you my dear, are a rare one! 🙂
So I have been told, but women still run….???
Like I said, grab those love shackles and throw them on before they have the chance, lol. Seriously, maybe they ran because they knew they weren’t worthy of you. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise 🙂
A blessing is true.
The right one will run *to* you, not away 🙂
I live in hope…
It’s all we have! 🙂
Welcome to the club
Do I get a membership badge to display on my page? Lol
Hmmm. I’ll send one over…in large letters HOPE
Beautiful and effective way of helping someone who is so depressed. You certainly managed to give hope, Michael!
Thanks Gabriella, I always appreciate your comments.
Our ears turn deaf to the love we are given when we don’t give it to ourselves, your poem captures that deafness. Well done!
Thank you for your comment, I like what you have to say.
Lovely write. My interest moved down the page with each line. I hope you truly have the compassion mentioned in your poem. Have a beautiful winter day!
Thank you Sabra, I hope I do too. Thankfully for me it is summer in Australia even though it is now close to midnight. Thank you again.
Lovely. Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things in life, this is a great exploration of it.
Thank you Kelly I appreciate your comment. Yes forgiveness is a difficult thing but one that can afford hope to others.
What a moving poem you wrote, Michael. I so admire a writer who has this gift…words, so many befitting to the crushing feeling she felt and the heartwarming compassion for her is so admirable and heartfelt. You are truly gifted, Michael.
Thank you Oliana, you are very generous I write as I see the lives of others. It is often my observations that I am making, that I can convey them as i do I am thankful if that is my ‘gift’.
It is and I admire those who have that…I learn new words too:)
A deep write. How one can ‘scuttle’ their life with unworthiness.
Thanks for your comment, those who see their lives as worthless can easily apply such terms to their lives, sadly.
Very powerful!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Helen, sometimes the words flow out that way…
I think forgiveness & unconditional love go hand in hand. The person that “forgives” you – must really feel a connection. I’m not one to forgive – I prefer to move on. But – I see that there are different definitions of forgiveness & I feel how you portrayed it here.
Gosh – hope I just made sense to you – I’m babbling…