Bjorn is hosting the Pub today and prompting us to write poems based upon Expressionism. Whew. I hope this one comes close. Come join us at: Meet the Bar with Expressionism
Cuts like a Knife
The sky is so blue overhead
And the clouds so white.
Yet the wind cuts through you like…
a hot knife through warm butter
scissors through paper
a katana through silk…
And you. You.
You go through me like a
hot knife through cream cheese or…
like a katana through that thin branch
On my cherry tree –
you slash and slice and
and the blossoms fall
to the ground.
the birds peck now among them
finding the worms that burrow
underneath.
a lone crow circles overhead
in that blue winter sky.
he cuts through the sky
like a katana slices through fog.
still from Last Samurai
kanzen sakura 
Feb 16, 2017 @ 15:56:08
I so much love the cutting and slicing in this poem, you make it bold and sharp, and also progress the emotion into something close to closure with the crows in the end… great writing.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 16:12:49
Ahhh…the cosmic katana…cutting away at everything…wonderful.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 16:21:34
If there’s one word to describe this poem it’s ‘sharp’. Great crisp wintry imagery
Feb 16, 2017 @ 16:38:51
I now know the name of those Japanese swords I’ve seen in the movies: katana. And I see it now going through silk, a thin branch and fog. It shouldn’t have any problem going through fog.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 16:41:05
I’ve read where classic forging of the samurai katana requires great skill & several rollings & firings. I like the option that your tale is rife with the cosmic-katana–makes me think of the wonderful samurai posters I sent you; smile.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 16:52:12
So much colour and movement in this poem, Toni, it’s cinematic. I love the way you hint with that ‘katana through silk’ and the birds pecking among the blossoms,
‘finding the worms that burrow underneath’, and the image of that ominous lone crow.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 18:09:25
So much cutting and slicing gave me the shivers but not in a chilling way, more pictorial. ❤ ❤ ❤
Feb 16, 2017 @ 18:58:29
From bold slashing and slicing to a lone bird circling…..nice contrast. Plus, I learned what is a katana! Well written!
Feb 16, 2017 @ 20:12:23
I can feel the dark emotions from the slashing and slicing ~ The deep loneliness seeps throuhg ~
Feb 16, 2017 @ 20:16:51
Starts out so sweetly with blue and white and then all the cutting and slashing, even the crow cuts through the sky… the winter sky…. suddenly I feel very, very cold.
Feb 16, 2017 @ 21:53:00
That is just a striking representation of expressionism, Toni. Cuts to the core.
Feb 17, 2017 @ 05:40:31
Whew indeed. This certainly is expressionistic to me. The slicing and cutting…the emotion of the issue….great, piece of work, that stays with me. I can see the motion.
Feb 17, 2017 @ 11:20:15
Love this, the second verse especially is very expressive with much feeling
Feb 17, 2017 @ 16:20:46
a poem with a cutting edge so beautiful executed
Feb 18, 2017 @ 11:38:31
I must admit my ignorance here….I read your poem and loved it…and then, went and found the meaning of Katana….and read it again. This time, loving it more…moving with the feelings it evoked. Things matter of fact in stanza one.
And the you. you. That opening in stanza two shifts the scene for me…and the slashing and slicing — the feelings cut through in this second stanza which ends with the return to earth and the worms that burrow within. And then the last stanza, shifting to nature again….but always with the samurai sword moving, sweeping, slicing. The movement in the poem is wonderful.
Feb 19, 2017 @ 10:29:48
Thank you Lillian for your kind and wonderful comments. To be honest, I hadn’t a clue about this poem. I just “expressed” it. 🙂
Feb 18, 2017 @ 15:11:03
This was one sharp poem! Enjoyed it very much.