My phone does not ring. No
texts, no contact, no one asking
my forgiveness although I feel
so much harm has been done to me.
If you asked me, I’d say, categorically
okay, you are forgiven. After all,
we are old; we’re running out
of time. Peace at last. But wait,
you say it is I who have sinned.
Then, I surrender. I beg your
forgiveness, yet, you take such
pleasure in grinding my bones

DR. DAVID B. AXELROD lives in Daytona Beach, Fl and is founder and director of the Creative Happiness Institute, Inc. He was Suffolk County Poet Laureate (2007-2009), and is now Volusia County, FL, Poet Laureate ( 2015-continuing ). He is a 3-time Fulbright and as had 25 books published. His newest, 24^th book of poetry, is Official Rules of Olympic Bed Riding