Lay the blame …

To say that someone or something deserves to be considered responsible for something that has happened.

Lay the blame …

Faulty incomprehensible cladding

Engulfed by death's dark mask

Bedecks a gregarious culture

Where questions went unasked

Uncaring convalescent hostels

Deemed safe for vulnerable kin

Exposed as opprobrious hellholes

After decades of soundless sins

Those children's sacred sanctuaries

With whitewashed walls now stained

By historical abusive allegations

From victims who suffered in vain

Gangs of under age youngsters

Roaming feral in our unlit streets

Defending turfs with drawn-out blades

Waving rhythmically to bogus beats

Underpaid public sector heroes

Risking daily both life and limbs

Praised by high salaried politicians

But rewarded with platitudinous hymns

In our cavernous world of disorder

Full of contorted authoritative shame

There is never a definitive answer

Of where to lay the blame …

Phillozofee @ 2017

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is brilliantly crafted in rhyme, rhythm, & word choice. It's not often that we can get away with using so many ten-dollar words without a piece starting to sound stilted or just stiff. It's rare for a poet to select so many ten-dollar words & still holding to an excellent rhythm thru-out (except I would delete the word "them" last line of stanza4). It's mind-stimulating to combine all this amazing word crafting with a message and a meaning that really matters. I love it when writers express a distinct point of view.

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Thank you - & - see what you mean in stanza 4 - will take up the edit! :-)

[Ana B.]

Incidentally, i was listening to ''Lacrymosa'' by Zibigniew Preisner. Omg! the effect was unreal, it seemed the song doubled the meaning of the words. Glorious atmosphere and impressive vocab. Love it :)

[Kesha]

Wonderful piece with a deep meaning, loved the way you crafted it

[Nigel Newman]

Obviously this is highly topical and current, but in many ways 'plus ca change'. There are desperate things happening in our society. And yet amidst it all are wondrous acts of kindness and ongoing devotion. There are politicians who care (e.g. Frank Field) but oh my the platitudinous hymns overwhelm, and they are deafening.

This is so well written. It covers so many problems in (British) society, but does so without, as you say, definitively pointing fingers. I might add the ever more powerful magnifying glass of the media always looking for things to appal us; but that doesn't change these terrible aspects of how we are. Very very well written.

Regards
Nigel

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree.
"There is never a definitive answer
Of where to lay the blame …"
The above lines is true. Truth is where you are standing. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Norman 223]

You have certainly laid bare the hypocrisy of our "ruling classes". Platitudes abound , judgements remain unsound. Cronyism when governed by money and power will always be able to "justify" itself.

[L.C. Jarrette]

now i'm having a nosebleed! breathtaking poem...well done!

[ROSALIND]

Awesome tragic and straight to the point ..
Couldn't have said it better.

[Karen John]

Amazing....every thing in this poem tells the truth about our world!!! Whom to blame? I guess v all deserve to be blamed. Those ppl who should do things leave them undone and do those things which shouldn't be done. We do live in a messed up world. But still somehow there's beauty in it too

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

"Gangs of underage youngsters..roaming feral in our unlit streets"-powerful imagery of our social Darwinian "Thunderdome"-esque cities. This poem eloquently indicts widespread corruption on so many levels from bottom to top. Cut- throat Social Darwinism exposed brilliantly. You point out the Ever-Shifting and blurring of accountability for these crimes that keeps us all in fear and confusion. United can we demand the answers?.. Bravo!