Hands Make An Individual Who They Are

her slim fingers grew wide until her wedding ring
no longer fit Acromegaly spoke uncomfortable surprises
she stitched usefulness to replace the loss
needle and thread sewed the wayward corners down

tree of life found its way into a quilt
branches from well-worn boy scout shirt
leaves and blossoms scraps from dresses handmade
in rosy viridescent hues golden backdrop

hefted groceries canned soups tuna wonderbread
jars of mayo strawberry jam peanut butter
velveeta frozen peas boxes of jello
quarts of milk delivered in bottles to back steps

checked out library books drew maps charts
swirled paint brushes crayons cut paper with precision
wrote letters cards always on time
turned pages of goodnight stories rubbed backs

filled lunch boxes with pb&j apples
corrected homework with erasable slate
pushed kids out the door to catch school bus

ironed dresses shirts sheets pillow cases
changed beds washed clothes and dishes
pushed dry mop wet mop vacuum duster

stirred tuna casserole iced tea
painted fingernails with clear polish
Girl Scout Leader pinned badges proudly

finger to lips head shakes
refusing to embolden mouthy sass
inserted key drove station wagon
left hand signaling exactly thirty yards

dining room table end of day
hands in prayer hushed tones

Ellen Gerneaux Woods (Oakland, CA) writes poetry and memoir. Her upcoming chapbook The Watchful Heart recedes will be published by Finishing Line Press in December 2021. Her poetry appears in print and online journals including Marin Poetry Center 2018 Anthology, The Benzine, Pudding Magazine, Is It Hot in Here Anthology, PersimmonTree Magazine, Poems of Political Protest Anthology, among others. She received prizes from the Soul-Making Literary Competition (2011-2014) and Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. In 2019, Ellen became a judge for the Prose Poem category of Soul-Making Literary Competition and is on the prose editorial staff of The MacGuffin magazine.