Seventy Times Seven

Forgive, they say, and so I try,
To let the pain subside,
Yet in the quiet of the night,
The memories still abide.

A gentle whisper, seventy times,
Another, seven times more,
Forgiving as the clock rewinds,
A pain that still can soar.

I turn my thoughts to distant days,
To when the hurt was new,
And though I've walked through healing ways,
The scars still hold the truth.

Each time the memory flickers, bright,
I feel the burning flame,
A haunting ghost of wounded light,
And yet, the call remains.

Forgive, they say, and so I do,
With every breath I take,
Embracing love, both old and new,
Forgiving for my sake.

So seventy times, and then seven times more,
I'll loose the grip of pain,
And every time the wound will roar,
I'll whisper, "I forgive," again.