Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BLAME, by CHARLES LOUIS HENRY WAGNER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BLAME, by                    
First Line: Men couple her name with sin and with shame
Last Line: We're to blame, brother mine, we're to blame!
Subject(s): Brotherhood; Men; Women


Men couple her name with sin and with shame,
They sneer as she passes them by,
Yes, they do, brother mine, yes, they do,
But she not alone is deserving of blame,
Has she fallen much lower than I,
Or than you, brother mine, or than you?

We helped her along the vice-cobbled road,
We made it alluring and grand,
Yes we did, brother mine, yes we did,
And coward-like now, we turn and we goad,
And the shelter of home to such of her brand
We forbid, brother mine, we forbid.

We forced her to slave for a pittance a day,
It was hard, by the gods! it was hard,
So she cried, brother mine, so she cried,
We cabined her soul and we stifled its play,
We fed her on husks and all pleasures we barred,
She 'most died, brother mine, she 'most died.

We licensed the hell that meant ruin to her,
Maybe we put wine to her lips,
Did we thus, brother mine, did we thus?
We tempted, she fell, and when once she did err,
We drove and we scourged her with whips
Far from us, brother mine, far from us.

We closed every path that led to the right,
We locked every door of return,
Was it wise, brother mine, was it wise?
And with hypocrite hearts and with tongues all polite
We buried our sins in an urn
Made of lies, brother mine, made of lies.

She has paid the price, and we have gone free,
'Twas always that way in this world,
What a shame, brother mine, what a shame!
The onus of such falls upon you and me,
At Judgment this truth will be hurled,
We're to blame, brother mine, we're to blame!





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