Days of Preparation

The longest days are days of preparation
when whatever is accomplished 
is not enough;

or when whatever that’s been constructed 
must be taken down
and once again erected.

So gladness is quietly set aside, 
happiness postponed,
until the fault can happily be corrected.

But if blame’s assigned
and a specific person found guilty
and criticized,

then the effort may be a total loss
because someone has made a mistake,
perhaps was tired. 

No energy is left for forgiveness
and too much pain
to simply forgive and forget. 

It’s the old blame game
that results in nothing but shame  
and enduring hate:

any chance for repair 
gone up in the air 
like smoke not to be recovered.

All work in vain.