Forgive me

Oh world, for all my faults I beg thy pardon,
for all my foolish talk and petty pride,
for all my ill-borne rage and misplaced sorrow;
that for a word mispoken I beat my breast,
and for a child forgotten, beat not an eye,
that at my inner fool I snarl,
while at tyrants laugh and shrug.
Oh world, pray, do not despise
to bear so mean a soul!
Forgive me, as thou I would forgive,
for all thy misplaced loves and barren dreams
and kind words spoken from an empty heart,
for these, as much as yours, are mine,
in all their putrid, crimson truth
that stains your hand and my heart,
that stains a cross of divine love,
and let us celebrate as fools,
as weeds, as dust, as men,
and trust in yet a greater man
who bears all sorrow and guilt, for having none.