FORGIVENESS: A POEM BY ADAM ZAMEENZAD

Adam Zameenzad has published six novels and received the blessings of readers and critics. He is a good friend whom I visit at Shant Cottage, Kent as I write these lines. He is also a poet, unpublished for the most part, with manuscripts of wit that explode aorta, ventricle and vessel like heart grenades I love his unforgiving dedication to questioning all received wisdom.


FORGIVENESS

I find no difficulty in forgiving
man,
and woman,
though that
can be somewhat
exacting,
on occasions.

BUT
only if,
every molecule of my skin
turned to dust
before my very eyes,
dust
that would cover
the shame of centuries:

only if,
the pungent waters of my sweat
flood out to disinfect
and wash away
the pain infested streets of history;

only if,
my tainted blood
became flesh,
meat everlasting
for subhumans of the world;

only if,
I died
each minute
of the day
that someone nicer than I,
had life,
and love,
and good looks too,
redeeming my ugliness;

then,
perhaps,
I might,
forgive God.


-- Adam Zameenzad c) 2008