Wakefield 1382

"That takes me back"
Roland said,
Hitting the Roman nail
Squarely on the head.

Most nails were flat round
Sometimes square
But these were diamond head
With room to spare,

Easier to extract with iron claw
From flesh and bone
And soft wood cross
When death is done.

Roland weighs the nail
And contemplates
The women weeping
As they wait

At the foot of the cross
And measure
a medieval history of loss.
JL March 29 16:31