In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

TriangleTattoo Wood-planked floor, twelve-foot ceiling, a wall of glossy snapshots— dragonfly, water lily, barbed wire spiraling a woman’s thigh.The artist bends over my love’s shaved leg, his palate of paper cups filled with ink. Through her skin, three finches emerge on a blackberry branch, ink mixed with blood beading her calf. For the third time, I run downstairs to the car, slap the gearshift into neutral, roll over the parking cop’s chalk mark, buying us time. Hours I sat beside them, telling stories, changing the music, rubbing color back into her fingertips. Now I lean against the car and listen— the buzz of his needle piercing her skin, the heart-shaped sign swinging its rusted chain.This is my job—he will change her body forever, I will love what she becomes.  Dumesnil PGS:Layout 1 4/28/09 12:32 PM Page 38 ...

Share