"Contemplation" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Never Too Late to Apologize
In the quiet stillness of the night,
When shadows stretch beneath the light,
A whisper stirs within my chest,
A truth long hidden, now confessed.
The echoes of the harm I've wrought,
The silent wars my pride has fought,
Rise up like tides against my shore—
I cannot bear them anymore.
I’ve walked a path of stubborn stone,
Afraid to claim the wrongs I’ve sown.
Too proud to bow, too blind to see,
The pain my words have left in me.
But wounds don’t heal in silence kept,
They fester in the tears unwept.
And every bridge I failed to tend,
Lies smoldering, where once was friend.
So here I stand, a humbled soul,
With one small hope to make me whole.
It’s not a boast, it’s not a plea,
But simple, heartfelt honesty:
To you, whose trust I cast aside,
To you, whose love my faults denied,
To you, whose laughter turned to sighs—
I whisper now, "I apologize."
For careless words like daggers thrown,
For seeds of hurt my hands have sown,
For promises I broke in haste,
For time I left unloved, ungraced.
For every moment I was cold,
For all the kindness left untold,
For all the times I turned away—
I seek your mercy here today.
But more than words, I bring intent,
To mend, rebuild, and to repent.
For apologies, though they are due,
Are hollow shells without the glue
Of effort made to right the wrong,
To show the weak can still be strong.
I’ll walk the miles, I’ll bear the weight,
To show it’s never too late.
For every tear I’ve caused to fall,
I’ll meet with grace and bear it all.
For every heart I’ve caused to break,
I’ll labor twice to ease the ache.
And if my plea cannot undo
The pain I’ve given unto you,
Then still, I’ll strive, though scars remain,
To heal, to learn, to ease your pain.
The world is wide, our time is brief,
Why let it pass in grief on grief?
Why cling to anger, nurture hate,
When peace and love can recreate?
No wall too high, no rift too wide,
If humbly we lay down our pride.
For every wrong, a chance to rise—
It’s never too late to apologize.
So here I stand, my soul laid bare,
With hope that you might meet me there.
To those I’ve wronged, I give my vow,
To seek your grace, to change, to bow.
And even if forgiveness stays,
Beyond my grasp, for countless days,
I’ll walk the road, no compromise—
For it’s never too late to apologize.
©A. Derek Catalano/ChatGPT
