Mercy and forgiveness
Mercy and forgiveness my friend. We need.
A Poem by Coyote Poetry
Need mercy and good friends to survive this life.
The Quality of Mercy
The quality of mercy is not strain’d.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the heart of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.
(Thank you Shakespeare for your words. The world would of been empty place without you.)
Mercy and forgiveness my friend. We need.
I got lost in Antwerp in 1979.
Had my journal and no place to be.
I found a youth hostel in Antwerp.
I sat and started to write.
The kids were interested in what I was doing.
Pretty Belgium girl watched with serious eyes.
Asked me why was I writing?
I told her. Just words of love and hope.
She smiled and told me to join her.
She had some friends and tea to share.
She took me to a group of kids.
They were laughing and playing music on a small cassette player.
The young girl. She told them this is my new friend.
A lost writer looking for a story.
I introduced myself and they told me their names.
They had friendly faces and asked did I like Morrison?
I told them. Morrison was the man. The lizard king.
They laughed and told me to join them.
“Youth is the best wine.
Freedom to know laughter and friendship is the great wealth of a life.”
The girl Daniela told me we are making Antwerp best tea. You will write great tale from
the gift of the hashish tea. I told her I was a Soldier. Get tested often.
She smiled. Her friends laugh. Take no chances. Know no pleasure my friend.
I was young and foolish. I drank the tea with my new friends.
I remember we sang of peace and we walked on the strange edge.
Youth Hostel are cool.
A safe place for travelers.
Eight strangers drank red wine and laughed at life.
I wrote a poem and read the poem to them.
“The night is long and lonely.
In the darkness of the night we have little.
Fear and old ghost haunt our journey.
We need the mercy of good friends.
Find the safety of forgiveness to move on to a better day.”
They laugh and told me. You are the Shakespeare of the hash.
Daniela told me.
“We need mercy and forgiveness to survive this life. No perfect person.
Just people trying to do their best.”
Three days in Antwerp with people with hope and laughter.
Revive my tire heart and mind.
I left my new friends with a sad heart.
Daniela kissed me. Told me.
“I’m easy to find. Always a place for the great writer here in my city.
Please return.”
I’m old today. I wish I could travel to Antwerp.
Find the mercy of good friends laughter and not be afraid of tomorrow.
I learn mercy and forgiveness is very important.
We must be able to forgive to be strong and positive.
We must know mercy. Mercy is the person who reaches out to the poor and
the weak and assist without wanting reward.
The real gold of a long life.
It the memory of travel and the good friends who opened the door to friendship
to a stranger.
Thank you for reading
Coyote