Tense Forms Showcase Series Presenting music, art, drama, and more.
Elizabeth Boyne
Elizabeth Boyne is a poet whose work has appeared repeatedly in 6x5. Graceful music, clear eyed observations and a generous spirit sing out from her lines.
From What I Have Inherited:
in the picture I have of you,
where Jesus stands
guarding the porch,
lifting his arms to touch
an air filled with milkweed
and diaphanous light.
Summer’s hushed wind
and the smell of grapes
grown on the vine
scents your hair,
lingers under
a cotton blouse
and the polyester skirt
that they buried you in.
Katy Didden
Katy Didden is a poet and teacher whose work has appeared in 6x5. Her turns, her rich language, her obvious intelligence and her deeply human generosity accumulate into uncanny, powerful verse.
From Georgia O’Keefe’s Garden
You’ve stolen the apricots
off her tree. No one was looking.
The tree hangs hospitably
over the wall. What we came
to see we can’t see:
way back in the trees
a house, a yard of roses.
There’s so little water, the earth’s
the color of fire. You hold
five apricots in your hand—
offering of love in a draught year.
But the apricots, so water-light,
they wouldn’t drop. I accept
the barter: pulp dry as skin,
fruit of dust and sun.
Viola Lee
Viola Lee is a poet whose work has appeared in 6x5. Her lines are marked by their economy, good-natured humor and wry observation; when invested with Lee’s warmth the lines take on a depth, a hope, a kindess.
From After a Disaster:
after a disaster   it always rains
even the umbrellas   need to break
the rock wants   water
after a disaster   the hospitals
are always littered   and others need soup
someone   tries   to make up
for the loss   so he maybe she
begins   to glue   the dishes
Marika Mashburn
Marika Mashburn is a writer, director, actor and musician. She is a member of The House Theatre, currently starring in their production Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe.