Guest Post — My Hands: A Triad of Poems

By Dianna

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Human Hands

My hands

Are the way they are

For a lot of reasons.

Short-fingered

Because my dad’s genes.

Veins that pop out

Like my mom’s veins.

Nails I’ve finally learned

To not bite

Most of the time.

A cut or two here

From helping my

Mother-in-law

With her lovely

Roses.

A smudge on the left hand

That I write with.

Dirt under the nails

Gained gardening.

Dulled fingertips

From tasty nights

Flipping tortillas

On the hot griddle.

Cracked with eczema

Like my Grandmother’s

And her mother’s

And probably all the

Mothers in my tree.

Thank you, genes.

Calloused and tough

Because I took up gymnastics

Just last year.

I’ve grown so much

And love my new hobby

And my hands reflect that

Which I love.

Strong with the knowledge

Of kneading dough,

Scrubbing plates,

Turning wrenches,

Wiring fuses,

Building a home,

Comforting a friend.

My hands tell many stories

About who I am,

Where I came from,

What I do,

What I love.

I don’t see what makes them

Woman hands

As opposed to

Human hands.

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Woman Hands

How is it that my hands

Which have no breasts

Can only be used to

Nurture and feed?

How is it that my hands

Which have no womb

Can only be used to

Give of myself?

How is it that these hands:

The same shape,

The same strength;

Yet are not equal enough

To work side by side,

As hands are made to do?

If hands have sexes

Like woman and man

Why is it not clear

As our hands lined up,

Interlocked,

Perfect images of each other,

That women and men must

Be equal?

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Worthy Hands

If Mary’s hands were worthy

To prepare the body

Of Christ for burial,

My hands must also be worthy

To prepare the emblems

Of Christ for renewal.

If Hannah’s hands were worthy

To pull down a blessing from God

And have a promised child,

My hands must also be worthy

To place a blessing from God

And promise to my child.

If Mother Eve’s hands were worthy

To work and toil and teach

Alongside her helpmeet,

My hands must also be worthy

To carry and build and shelter

With my helpmeet

Equally yoked,

Equally joined,

Holding hands.

Dianna is a Utahn who likes to read, travel, and explore food from all over the world. She was raised in LDS Mormonism and cherishes its ideals of community, friendship, and human potential.