2 June 2006 | Vol. 6, No. 2

Patience

by REBECCA GIVENS

in the historical, non-

traditional space. I held

your body up, I held

you suddenly. crossed

out of limelight, pressed

into another, finely-

wrought space. the

weight is yours, leaning

heavily on the muscles.

broad-banked shadows,

an arm, a toe. bliss

comes lightly and leaves

quickly, leaves nothing

much behind. tender

me now, I say to the

sad stone. lest impressions

fade, lest canceling

becomes a rite of passage

and you fall, licking

the heavy body, what is

left of the evergreen child.