I wrote something here about my mother and forgiveness.  I decided to delete it.  It is too private.  Not the details, mind you.  Details are dunya.  But it was too private to invite comment.   It is cross-posted at other|matters.  I have no obligation to read the comments there.  In its place, I post this poem by Dick Lourie. 

How do we forgive our Fathers?
Maybe in a dream
Do we forgive our Fathers for leaving us too often or forever
when we were little?

How Do We Forgive Our Fathers?

How do we forgive our Fathers?
Maybe in a dream
Do we forgive our Fathers for leaving us too often or forever
when we were little?

Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage
or making us nervous
because there never seemed to be any rage there at all.
Do we forgive our Fathers for marrying or not marrying our Mothers?
For divorcing or not divorcing our Mothers?

And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth of coldness?
Shall we forgive them for pushing or leaning
for shutting doors
for speaking through walls
or never speaking
or never being silent

Do we forgive our Fathers in our age or in theirs
or their deaths
saying it to them or not saying it?

If we forgive our Fathers what is left?

__________________

The photo is meant to be the well of Zam Zam