by Dennis Hinrichsen

by Dennis Hinrichsen
     They must have bled as they sang，
     the needles so quick through
     the linen， the frayed mesh，
     the silvers must have stung them.
     Pinpricks they must have stemmed
     with their tongues， unembarrassed，
     these brides of Christ
     like sewing patches of sunlight
     to water the ghost in the cloth
     laid double across their laps.
     These are the hips of Christ，
     knees raw bone inking the linen；
     this， the stain of a coin
     that graced His eye， the image
     as yet unpatterned， available only
     should they dare to look
     in random angles， stitches.
     Terrible gash at a medial rib.
     Imprint： sole of His foot，
     the other merely heel， curve of
     a branch at its one end blackened，
     released to ash their
     fingers as furious as sparks
     in the medieval dusk
     repairing a fire . . . They must have
     wept as they bled as they sang.