8/2/13 11:46am – 8/9/13 11:43am
that makes ten
I
on the one hand
one finger is meant to wear a ring
that says over time you’ll be smothered
one finger is meant to promise things
by wrapping one around another
one finger is meant for keeping track
of who you are and what you do
one finger has three staring you back
though it meant to point away from you
one finger is meant to sign a phrase
that is much easier flipped than said
with it makes five each with their own ways
on the other hand there’s five ahead
III
on the other hand
then there is one meant to help feeling
your way around while in the dark
there is one meant to touch the ceiling
after a growth spurt helps make this mark
there’s one that is better at bending
and because so named double-jointed
there’s one that keeps under its ending
bits of earth from wherever pointed
there is one meant to poke your own eye
to let tears separate boys from men
and as you age learn again to cry
for the much worse ways you could make ten