Forgiveness or Unforgiven

This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. Welcome. This year — May 2025 to August 2026– we are going to do just three days a month for the Open Write. The writing across five days was going strong, but we thought we would try three to see how that feels for the community as far as time and joy and sustainability.

Our Host

Sarah J. Donovan, PhD, is a former junior English language arts teacher of fifteen years and current Associate Professor of Secondary English Education at Oklahoma State University (since 2019). She wrote the young adult novel, Alone Together (2018) and is the co-author on several books on poetry Rhyme and Rhythm: Poems for Student Athletes, Teachers Writing to Bridge the Distance, 90 Ways of Community, and Words that Mend. Two forthcoming books include Teaching Poetry in a Digital World: Inspiring Poetry Writing through Technology in Grades 6-12 and Writing to Learn Across Content Areas: Poetry as Formative Assessment. Sarah is the founder of Ethical ELA, a free resource for ELA educators to write poetry in community.

Inspiration

Poet Emanuel Xavier writes of wanting to forget and living toward forgiveness in his poem “Step Father.” Here is an excerpt:

…to belong. Like him, I want to forget that we
made mistakes and caused so much pain. I need
for both of us to remember how he taught me
how to ride a bike and how to swim and told
me, better late than never, that he loved me and
was proud of all I had done. I have to help him
settle into his favorite chair and let him know that
I forgive him. There is a place somewhere where
he will call me hijo and I will know him as my dad.

(Click the link above for the full poem and listen to the interview below to hear Emanuel Xavier read his poem and discuss his writing life.)

Process

Sometimes I find myself holding onto hurt that I wish I could forgive. I think it serves me better, for now, to not forget, to not forgive, but to remember and feel the hurt. And these days, I find myself stepping more into myself and not apologizing or asking for forgiveness for staying true to myself. I invite you to think about forgiveness, apologies, and acceptance today — in ways that serve your heart and mind.

One way into a poem is this:

• Who is a person who has caused you harm that you have forgiven or know you will never forgive?
• Do you need to apologize or ask for forgiveness?
• Or might there be something about yourself that you need to let go off, maybe give yourself permission to move on?

Another way into a poem today, more light-hearted, is this:

• Take a humorous approach to the theme of forgiveness by writing from the perspective of someone who has wronged a very petty or ridiculous character—perhaps a talking frog who still holds a grudge about being turned into a prince, or a cat who refuses to forgive you for switching its brand of kibble. Play with exaggerated grudges, over-the-top apologies, and the absurdity of letting go of seemingly silly grievances.

Write in any form you wish or borrow Emanuel’s narrative structure. I went a little humorous in my poem today. I am not going to ask for forgiveness for being me.

Sarah’s Poem

No Pea Apologies

I wonder what you see in me when we
eat separately. The precision you take in
microwave percentages, the dollop point
five of mayonnaise, the phases of preparation
that gradual heat for a perfect crisp. You’d
like to say you’ve taught me this patience
over two decades, but I am already eating
my bowl of peas microwaved on high
burning the roof of my mouth as I perch
on the gray armchair with a glass of sauvignon
blanc and a book of poetry on my lap.

Your Turn

Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers.