My compassion is a steel blade,
so thin and sharp,
I could cut you
and you would not know.
You would bleed
and be unaware.
Blades are tools
as well as weapons.
They are the tool of healers,
and I operate with consent.
Fear of the unknown is not compassion,
so every slice is done with consciousness.
No matter how much
I wish to spare you pain,
it must be done with consciousness.
The title is a quote taken from a letter from a sensei of mine. He was attempting to describe my philosophy, and the poem flowed from there.