Lou J. Klaiber

THESE OLD HANDS

Scars

time

and plain old age

wrinkled and holding on

to the gold on my left hand.

One dream upon a finger.

Scars from yesterday
broken by bones
bent and healed

follow me
in the time
that follows war.

I hold a cigarette
with a scar upon

the trigger finger
on top…

……… a finger scarred and old.

I inhale the smoke of memory

and most is all forgot.

If only hands and fingers
could really speak.

We might know

a lot.