Hands

My hands and the things they've touched
…the times been cut and healed,
scarred and abraded…
show signs of age:
brown crusts like lesions of lichens
you find on rocks.

These beaters, these bearers, these receivers
turn most minds free,
most actions related to work,
work done by habit.

Hands are our first line protectors.
They check the wind,
the hot or cold of a day,  
if snow or rain,
the intensity of drought;

at the same time subtle;
twisting their way into hearts
and soothing hurts,
correcting faults and failures of others.

Hands are good at expressing affection;
take the long path home
toward self-worth and hope for redemption,
kindnesses done
to whomever is met on the way.

They are first to tell,
no matter whether son or his father,
the measure of life each has lived,
but would never utter.

Hands would say, “Judge not.”
But if still you choose to do so,
look first at hands.
They explain a lot about the man.