Murder of a Prisoner of War, 1943
Author: James Walton
Published online: 15 June 2015
a twirling geisha fan
sends the blood splatter into a thresher
of the executioner's calligraphy
samurai sword in signature
arranges a last viewing
those black hollyhocks
seduced from bamboo cages
of delirious patriotism
that could have written you
all the wanted promises
made and broken in the slow click
of a shoulder going back
in how your hair fell then
and a kiss floated like blossom