I've done a lot with this hand....
it's really amazing, when I consider it —
held tools, held steering wheels, held pens,
held pistols, rifles, pulled triggers,
held and threw grenades,
carried stretchers, carried friends,
carried dead....
held other hands,
caressed typewriter keys,
and held babies and held breasts,
wiped away sweat,
wiped away tears,
calmed a crying, trembling human being....
held up this hand to swear an oath,
held out this hand in trust to someone,
paid with this hand,
held up this hand to stop something,
used this hand to hit, or to deflect,
used this hand to make gestures,
waved with this hand,
flipped the bird with this hand,
held on with this hand...
done a lot, with just this one hand.
look at the lines there...
they weren't always there.
at one time there were no lines,
but with time, the lines came,
then the callouses,
then the clenched fist,
and finally, eventually,
the open hand as it relaxes one last time.
even then, it will be making a statement.

But by then I will be done with this hand.

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Copyright©2017-1999 by Rebecca R. Hammack

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