Gerald Greene Poet Free verse

What Was the Human Error

Was it the death of the child,
playing in the busy street,
where traffic frequently exceeds speed limits,
in neighborhoods like this one,
even in summer evenings when children gather
with stick and ball?

Or was it the single mother,
who allowed her child to play outside,
without adequate supervision,
on an evening as sunlight faded,
inhibiting vision of drivers?

Or was it the mother’s employer,
who forces employees to overwork,
without adequate breaks for nurses,
like herself,
leaving her exhausted at day’s end,
just in time to rush home and prepare the evening meal?

Or, maybe, it was the driver,
who failed to drive slower,
on a street known for its abundant children,
in a neighborhood with no city parks?

Or was it the alcohol in the driver’s blood,
impairing judgment and giving false sense of security?

Or was it the driver’s employer,
who arranged a business meeting over cocktails,
where the client could be manipulated to make decisions,
in the fancy lounge of the large hotel,
as all participants drank to excess?

So, I ask again.

What was the human error?

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Brandy Nicole January 31, 2019 at 9:32 PM Oh my!! So many moments in this. Truth around every word- in my honest opinion. Which is very sad indeed. "What was the human error?" Exactly that. Being human and making the wrong choices, or following the wrong advice of another. Well said my friend. ~ Brandy Gerald Greene February 1, 2019 at 7:03 AM We are always quick to point a finger without knowing all.