Conscience Poem by Barry Middleton

having found forgiveness I banish guilt
forgiveness being a state of mind
where regret meets consolation
in epiphany

I do not take pride in forgiveness
or in a just life
for I have made mistakes
as humans do

I did not need a god to punish me
I did that for myself
there is no god whose sentence
surpasses that of conscience

there is no god whose forgiveness
absolves the mental anguish
that good men struggle with
over venial transgressions