Knife

This knife was used to sever the cord,

mother and child.

This knife cut sugar from the tree.

This golden one

cut salt and spice. The blue one

opens up the rain’s sky.

The one with a name

cut a wrist,

cut a neck,

frightened a child.

But this, this is a glass knife.

It cuts bread and berries.

When an angry person picks it up

how it wants to be broken.

Look at the moon on the edge of it,

and how the snail crawls the blade

and is not hurt.

It does not want to cut even the wheat,

this knife is so gentle.

When an angry person picks it up

scar tissue is already there.

The hand that holds it is a wound

and the eyes of the trees watch,

the eyes of the birds watch,

the eyes in the sky watch,

the eyes in stone watch.

All things watch and are still.