DEPOSITION FROM THE CROSS

They lowered him from the cross with ropes, dead weight

stretching the muscles of their arms. The group

of gawkers, bored, had thinned. The Roman troop

was breaking legs, not wanting to be kept late.

He seemed already dead, but to make sure

a passing soldier stabbed him with his lance.

No reflex from the body. Only a chance

oozing of lymph and blood could still refer

to the passing of a life. So they gave leave

to take him down. Joseph brought his men

for the heavy work of holding him in place, 

extracting spikes, struggling for the grace

of gently lowering the corpse. And then

in the women’s arms they laid their hopes and fears

and gathered, all, to wash the wounds with tears.