Saving Face. Poem by ivor or ivor.e hogg

.

i die honourably.
committing hara kiri
erases my disgrace.

only a coward
evades responsibility
for his past actions.

honour demands
I must voluntarily
draw my blade across.

cut from left to right
die slowly in agony
suffer stoically.

.until a good friend
strikes off my head: sets me free
from my misery.

seldom seen today.
but in the past the only way
to correct mistakes.

to die honourably
committing hara kiri.
erases all disgrace