Which Hand Do You Choose?

This is my hand
Its touch 
can say
so much more
than words
Can you feel 
the love
as it
ruffles your hair
caresses your cheek
strokes your arm
holds your hand
pats your back

This is my hand
that does so much 
for you
It
cooks your food
smoothes the sheets
irons your clothes
protects your life
holds you up

This is my hand
Yes, it loves
but it can also hate
It can
yank your hair
slap your cheek
pinch your arm
twist your hand
break your back

It can
poison your food
crumple the sheets
burn your clothes
cause your death
push you down

Yes, this is my hand
but which hand
you’re dealt
is entirely up to you

*Written to meet this brief: Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write a poem that begins with the exact phrase "This is my hand." Your poem can be about wherever that beginning takes you but must start with the  *exact phrase*  "This is my hand."

Not having your poem start with the exact phrase will make your poem ineligible for competition. Titling your poem "This is my hand" does not count.

© 2013 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved