PLEASE TELL ME MY FAULT--award winner

PLEASE TELL ME MY FAULT


You brought me home because you liked my looks
And promised you would take good care of me.
I served you all the while what you fancied,
But you cast me into ignominy.

Before you throw me away I do pray,
Please tell me what has been my fault at all.
You were the master in complete control.
Why was it not your fault that I did fall?

While no one will ever blame you, I’m sure,
I will be called always the fallen one.
Man has made this world a one sided game.
In every tussle man has always won.

Shall I blame man or simply my own fate?
How else can feel a tender broken plate?


• Written in pentameter, abcb rhyme
• Awarded Honourable Mention prize in the first round of "Point of View Contest", "Invalid Item" , hosted by judykay.
• This poem was obviously meant to be the lament of a broken plate that is discarded, as clear from the last line. However, a reader sent the following review which I am mentioning here because it wonderfully displays that beautiful quality of poetry compared to prose: it is amenable to various interpretations by the reader—

“This is a difficult one for me. If I have interpreted it incorrectly I do apologize in advance. I believe this is an instance where Satan is questioning God. Your poem mentions the fallen one; that’s where I draw most of my conclusion from. He is asking: is it really his fault or man’s. This is a very good read. Unusual topic and presented in an unusual way. Nicely done”.


M C Gupta
19 September 2008