Word of the Day: Betray 

The Elders chant,
"You must obey —
Must never doubt
Or go astray.
If you betray
Our sacred oath,
You'll be erased
For others' growth."

They make the Cut
Then drain the blood,
Discard the heart
With heavy thud.

They clean the Knife
Then leave her there.
                                                                                        O Mother, Dear —
                                                                                        How unaware.

_____

This poem follows the syllable scheme of the Vietnamese thơ tứ ngôn, where each line has four syllables.