With One Hand

i've seen your hands on every side

the hand of love the bastard pride

the one you lay on one you clap

the one you hide there in your lap

the hand you grip with or caress

the hand that tidies up your mess

i've watched one hand swear faith and true

with one hand crossed love's lost to you

if you were even half the man you

hope

to

be

you'd only offer open palms

to

me 

but one hand dips and strokes the

ripples on love's tide

the other grips a fist of dirt

and throws just grounds aside

with one hand clenched against

the other, soft the ripples turn to waves

one hand, fierce with fear, 

slaps the spirit one hand saves

with one hand you invite all in

with one you brush aside

you only bring your hands together

to applaud yourself your pride

with one hand, pick a flower,

the other, pick a pill,

to lose yourself and wonder at 

the power of your will

if you were even half the man you

hope

to

be

youd only offer open palms

to

me

one hand may judge what I deserve

the other, tied, has lost its nerve

with one you wave with one enslave

one hand to tremble one to hold

but now i've seen what little all

your gestures mean once dipped 

twice cleaned within the puddle left

of what were overflowing dreams

tell me, my old lover,

with which hand to make a friend?

you offer diamonds with one hand but

which card deals out in the end?

if you were even half the man you

hope

to

be

you'd only offer open palms

to

me

but I get two 

closed hands to take

with one you push

which one to shake?

© 1999 Rebecca Rennie