Her Hands
Busy. Always busy. My grandmother’s hands in her lap. She holds a crochet hook and needles. Knits, tats and weaves holes out of socks. Stitches a hem and smocks. Transforms pom-poms into toy poodles. Patterns live in her head. Mittens, shawls and slippers appear. Afghans in variegated yarn. Her hands cook milkweed shoots, make raw yogurt, brew dandelion wine. Wash, wring, peg clothes on a line. Push an iron over Granddaddy’s wrinkled shirts. Plant and weed a garden. Push a hand-mower over two acres of grass. Feed chickens and turkeys, gather eggs. Play solitaire and brew tea. Make crafts. Nana spends time with me. She orders, “Stop wiggling.” but I keep it up and she smiles.
trees buds push
lemon, lime and raspberry
tatted lace
Date Published: December 14, 2019