Poetry Analysis

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The One Percent

English142 lines1 public analyses
English
Original Poetry
Translation
The One Percent
The One Percent
A year and a half
A year and a half
is a strange length of time.
is an odd amount of time.
Long enough for seasons to turn,
Long enough for seasons to change,
for prayers to repeat themselves
for prayers to be repeated
until they sound like breathing,
until they become like breathing,
for wounds to close in places
for wounds to heal in places
no one else can see.
no one else can see.
Long enough to learn
Long enough to learn
how not to chase a door
not to go after a door
that once closed
that once shut
in your face.
in your face.
I carried the silence
I carried the silence
like a small stone in my pocket
like a small stone in my pocket
never heavy enough to break me,
never heavy enough to break me,
but always there,
but always there,
quietly reminding me
quietly reminding me
of what I chose not to reach for.
of what I chose not to go after.
Some nights I wanted to write.
Some nights I wanted to write.
Some mornings I almost did.
Some mornings I almost did.
But I remembered the last thing I left behind
But I remembered the last thing I left behind
a door,
a door,
not shut,
not closed,
not open,
not open,
waiting for the hand
waiting for the hand
that closed it.
that shut it.
So I waited.
So I waited.
And somewhere in that waiting
And somewhere in that waiting
God did His quiet work.
God did His quiet work.
He taught me
He taught me
that forgiveness is not a performance,
that forgiveness is not a show,
not a speech rehearsed in the mirror,
not a speech practiced in the mirror,
not a victory over someone else.
not a win over someone else.
It is a seed
It is a seed
you plant in the dark
you plant in the dark
when no one is looking.
when no one is watching.
And when it grows,
And when it grows,
you realize the roots
you realize the roots
were holding you together
were holding you together
the whole time.
all along.
Then one day
Then one day
the past walked back into the light.
the past came back into the light.
Not like I imagined.
Not like I imagined.
No thunder.
No thunder.
No dramatic confession.
No dramatic confession.
Just two people
Just two people
standing in the open air
standing in the open air
with the strange humility
with the strange humility
of time between them.
of time between them.
You looked different.
You looked different.
Not older
Not older
but quieter.
but quieter.
Like someone
Like someone
who had been arguing
who had been arguing
with his own soul
with his own soul
for a long time.
for a long time.
You said you expected a fight.
You said you expected a fight.
I expected a few minutes.
I expected a few minutes.
Instead
Instead
we spoke for two hours
we spoke for two hours
like two men
like two men
who had once been brothers
who had once been brothers
helping each other once again
helping each other once again
even with a bleeding heart
even with a bleeding heart
You asked a question
You asked a question
that lingered in the wind:
that lingered in the air:
“How do we get
“How do we get
even one percent
even one percent
of the trust back?”
of the trust back?”
I didn’t have an answer.
I didn’t have an answer.
Because trust
Because trust
is not a ladder.
is not a ladder.
It’s more like rain.
It’s more like rain.
It falls slowly
It falls slowly
over days you don’t notice
over days you don’t notice
until one morning
until one morning
the ground is green again.
the ground is green again.
When we hugged goodbye
When we hugged goodbye
I felt something strange
I felt something strange
not the past returning,
not the past returning,
not the future promised,
not the future promised,
but a quiet space
but a quiet space
where both could exist
where both could exist
without fighting.
without conflict.
And as I walked away
And as I walked away
I realized something.
I realized something.
I no longer needed
I no longer needed
the story to end
the story to end
the way I once imagined.
the way I once imagined.
Because somewhere in the silence
Because somewhere in the silence
Christ had already written
Christ had already written
the most important line:
the most important line:
That love can survive distance.
That love can survive distance.
That forgiveness can outlive pain.
That forgiveness can outlive pain.
That sometimes
That sometimes
God keeps two people apart
God keeps two people apart
long enough
long enough
to teach them
to teach them
how to meet again
how to meet again
without destroying each other.
without destroying each other.
So now we stand here
So now we stand here
not where we started,
not where we started,
not where we broke,
not where we broke,
but somewhere in between
but somewhere in between
where grace lives.
where grace lives.
And maybe
And maybe
that one percent
that one percent
you asked about
you asked about
is simply this:
is simply this:
Two people
Two people
choosing honesty
choosing honesty
over pride,
over pride,
and letting God decide
and letting God decide
what the other ninety-nine
what the other ninety-nine
will become.
will become.
It’s been a long time
It’s been a long time
since I’ve said this
since I’ve said this
but I missed you.
but I missed you.
And maybe next time,
And maybe next time,
we meet like something new
we meet like something new
breathing easier,
breathing easier,
not weighed down by what was,
not weighed down by what was,
but learning each other again
but learning each other again
through laughter,
through laughter,
through faith,
through faith,
through something lighter.
through something lighter.
Not the weight of the past,
Not the weight of the past,
but the hope
but the hope
of what we can be
of what we can be
for each other now.
for each other now.
And I want you to know this
And I want you to know this
you have always meant more to me
you have always meant more to me
than the weight of your flaws.
than the weight of your flaws.
I’ve never seen you
I’ve never seen you
as someone to turn away from,
as someone to turn away from,
but as someone worth understanding.
but as someone worth understanding.
And somehow, even now,
And somehow, even now,
I still choose to walk beside you in this life,
I still choose to walk beside you in this life,
in whatever way God allows
in whatever way God allows
not out of obligation,
not out of obligation,
but because something in that bond
but because something in that bond
never fully broke.
never fully broke.
 

Explanation

The poem 'The One Percent' reflects on themes of time, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It begins by contemplating the passage of a year and a half, a period long enough for significant personal change and healing. The speaker carries a metaphorical silence, a reminder of past choices and unresolved emotions. As they wait, they learn that forgiveness is a quiet, internal process, akin to planting a seed in darkness. When the past reemerges, it does so without drama, highlighting the humility that time can bring. The poem explores the challenge of rebuilding trust, likening it to rain that gradually nourishes the earth. In the end, the speaker finds peace in accepting the present and the potential for renewed connection, emphasizing that love and forgiveness can transcend past pain. The poem concludes with a hopeful message about choosing honesty and allowing divine guidance to shape the future.

Word Dictionary15

WordIn EnglishPlain (English)Pron.
strangeunusualnot familiar or expectedstrayn-j
seasonstimes of the yearperiods of the year with distinct weather patternssee-zuhnz
prayersrequests to Godacts of speaking to a deityprey-urz
forgivenessletting go of angerthe act of pardoning someonefor-giv-ness
performanceactan act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainmentper-for-mans
victorywinsuccess in a struggle or contestvik-tuh-ree
humilitymodestya modest view of one's importancehyoo-mil-i-tee
trustbelief in someoneconfidence in someone's reliabilitytruhst
ladderclimbing toola structure for climbing up or downlad-er
graceelegancesimple elegance or refinementgrays
honestytruthfulnessthe quality of being honeston-uh-stee
prideself-respecta feeling of deep pleasure from one's achievementspryd
obligationdutya commitment or responsibilityob-li-gay-shun
flawsimperfectionsimperfections or weaknessesflawz
bondconnectiona strong connection or tiebond

Poet & Context

Poet—
EraContemporary

The poem 'The One Percent' appears to be a contemporary work, but its author is not widely recognized or documented in available sources.

WhenUnknown
WhyThe poem explores themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the passage of time, reflecting on personal growth and the healing of relationships.
FormFree verse

Themes & More

Themes
forgivenessreconciliationtimetrustpersonal growth
Literary devices
metaphor: Silence as a stone in the pocket, forgiveness as a seedimagery: Seasons turning, prayers like breathing, wounds closingpersonification: God doing His quiet worksimile: Trust compared to rainalliteration: 'quietly reminding', 'past returning'