Blame

I am 7
Arriving
Home after
School finding
My mother angry
Someone has called
Her complaining about
My walking across her yard
But I cannot remember taking
Any shortcuts across a yard
And weeks later the same
Irate lady calls again but
I have no idea what my
Mother is warning me
About as I take care
Not to walk on any
Yards but it does
No good as the
Complaints
Continue
And I
Learn that
Blame is just
A part of life so
Best to ignore the
Blame and still have
Fun as life is too short
To justify, just apologize.
Many years later I read the
Fieldnotes of a British officer
In Crete who says German
Parachutists suddenly
Landed all around
His packing case
Desk in a field
So he had to
Use his side
Arm shooting
Them before they
Shot him. He noted,
“Not cricket I
Know but
There it
Is ...”
Just so
With blame.