Observe the Hand Closed

Rescued from eternal obscurity, mixed into a page of notes from a Soviet History class from 3 years ago, while unpacking boxes.

Observe the hand closed:
Pointer like an eye shut,
Fingers like puppies in a bed,
Thumb like a hand over the eyes,
Nails like faces trying to hide,
Knuckles an arched back.
Pinky, the cold one, nuzzling in,
never gets a better spot. 

Published by Barry O'Keefe

Artist/printmaker from Richmond, Va

6 thoughts on “Observe the Hand Closed

  1. This is a very nice poem. You once suggested I try to write a poem about something simple and small. This must be the kind of poem you had in mind. You've inspired me, like Tom, to write a poem. But it's lunchtime.

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  2. Dmappy bo, you already wrote that poem, a long time ago. Maybe you forgot, and wrote it again. Its nice to think that you think of the same thing when you look at your hand a long time later. Your closet love of dogs is showing.

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  3. Cog – not a rewrite- just found an old poem in a notebook. How the heck, one might wonder, did you know about it, as I myself was unaware of it and only just stumbled on it – further evidence for my Brotherly Telepathy Google Doc?

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