false apology poems - an explanation

I was introduced to false apology poems through a wonderfully funny children's book, Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It by Gail Carson Levine. You can read an excerpt of her book here.

Her poems follow the format used by William Carlos Williams (1883 - 1963), who wrote the following:

This Is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

 —William Carlos Williams

The above poem by Williams is fairly innocent and rather humorous, and presents the standard format that I use. Note that the first stanza describes what happened, the second typically the consequences, and the third gives the apology that is not sincere.

If you've read any of the false apology poems that I've written, they are neither innocent nor humorous. They are dark and satirical, and are intended to bring the attitudes of white supremacy out into the open. Forgive me.

I welcome any comments and thoughts you might have about them.

See the whole list of false apology poems.