Human mercy

what is mercy?

does it have a certain feel to it,

is there a state in which one will seek it?

why is it often joyfully accepted,

yet seldom given out among peoples?

thankful for the gift,

often unable to pass it on to others….. why?

the fruit of mercy, when come to full bloom,

is like rain on the thirsty ground,

dry, parched, life dormant,

suddenly allowed to drink its fill,

allowing new life once again to come forth.

if one is deserving, then mercy is not needed,

mercy is for those whom are most unworthy,

the one everyone agrees is condemned,

who would cry out in protest if clemency offered,

wail if accepted with loud lamentations,

mercy is not justice.

in justice we get what is coming to us,

the scales are righted,

balanced,

a rightness about it

making one pay for evil done,

applauding sanctioned revenge,

for most often justice and revenge are first cousins,

welded at the hip the old saying goes.

so often it is mercy we ask for ourselves

justice for others,

we seek understanding

yet do not seek to understand,

perhaps the price of self knowledge is too high?

mercies seed and fruit is mercy for others,

self knowledge the mirror in which we see others,

knowing that just as we seek mercy and understanding,

so do others,

perhaps often unknown on the surface, yet hidden,

waiting to be seen,

the most hard hearted also desire it.

mercies vision is true,

seeing deeper than the obvious,

like a loving mother who defends her children,

seeing something more than the evil done,

perhaps her sight is true,

pointing in some fashion in how God sees us.

burdens carried throughout life,

hurts and remembered injustices nursed,

memories relived over and over again,

revenge desired,

yet when this is fulfilled, an emptiness remains,

since the cycle is not stopped

it just speeds up.

how we cling to our burdens

heavier it gets as life progresses,

depression, anger, rage our companions

we embrace them, it is who we are.

mercy if allowed to take root,

for some slowly,

others swiftly

these melancholy pleasures are dropped.

addictive in their own way

bowing us down closer and closer to the earth,

when let go of,

it is like a prisoner given a new lease on life,

one can stand straight again and breath.

before mercy can be given

we must also show ourselves mercy

for humility is seeing into the depths of things,

unvarnished,

true to the mark,

which leads to both responsibility and mercy,

self knowledge is the key for human empathy.

a poem on healing mercy

looking down dejected,

afraid to look up,

aware of guilt,

ashamed of the evil done,

the pain caused,

the accused awaited condemnation.

touched gently,

surprised,

it was the lash he expected,

the wrong doer lifted his eyes,

defenses dropped

astounded,

the gift offered undeserved

it pierced all defenses,

searing the soul,

its burning pain,

healing,

as the gift offered, received.

So human mercy is a powerful thing, breaking the cycle of revenge, hatred, and war; a cycle we often get trapped into. It also brings healing to the soul, able to not only offer mercy, and receive it, but to learn that it is the bridge that unites us all, for I believe we are all in need of mercy. A gift we can give to one another.