My Hands

Rough

Cold

Slow

Gentle

Dry

My hands remind me of my life

All the experiences I’ve had with them

All the things I’ve touched

My hands are different

They are colder and smaller

More gentle

My hands tell me where I am

They guide me through my day

Gripping on to the stairway bar, or dragging along the wall in the hallway

They express my emotions but only when no words can describe them

But what’s most important is how they help me make music

If I lost my hands today, I couldn’t play piano

I couldn’t write

I couldn’t drive

If I lost my hands today, I couldn’t do what I wanted

Or be who I am