and hit hard
sweat with work
and smooth the oil
hands that dig deeper
dirt under your fingernails
planting seeds
burying old things
letting go and hanging on
sorting through new mail
and old drawings
filtering the ripe and rotten
treasuring the good
burning what’s no longer needed
drawing faces and figures
pushing back and
pulling the laces
pressing buttons
poking holes in arguments
picking flowers
and pointing out
the unnoticed beauty
the unseen people
provoking laughter
and wiping tears
the tightest fist
and the softest, open palm
you add ink to the dull
sharpen the lines
and soften the edges.
hands that shape and
find form in clay
putting color in the crevices
primary colors,
brightened by glaze
hands that are
leathered & weathered
broken in, but not broken
strengthened and stretched
scratched by the cat
hands that hold
both peace and rebellion
rest and energy
a box cutter for breaking down
and a hammer for building.
balance is the idea
equilibrium is the goal
but you know that,
balance is not one thing
it is holding both truth and possibility
both fact and fantasy
knowing the steps and science
the ingredients needed
but also the gamble of the kiln
the factors of firing
the unknown and unplanned
you break your pots and
scrap the ideas
recycle the clay
return to the drawing board
your hands hold
money in one hand,
food in the other
rest in tranquility and
hold tightly to a sword
ready to throw
a wrench in the plan
throw caution to the wind
fling off the blankets
and face the day
the high expectation and hope
knowing the crush of failure
and the buzz of success
knowing that joy beats the odds
& cushions the landing
knowing that night means sleep
and morning means a new day
hands cold from snow
and warmed by the cat
pale in winter
& tanned by the sun
open hands
ready to give and take
never throwing in the towel
never throwing out a dream
without atleast trying
knowing that cooking,
means getting burnt
healing means limping first
& loving means being heard
& also getting hurt,
and the most beautiful thing
and still your hands reach
open and empty
ready to take
all that life has for you.
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