These Hands

These hands Have always been with me What would I do If they ever decide to leave These hands have been soft These hands have been steel No matter what’s been done to them They always seem to heal Frozen with no feeling inside They’ve worked even when muddy Burnt and rough like leathery hide Even through pain when bloody They can turn a wrench with a twist They can show affection; clenching a hip They quickly ball to a fist When needed to split a mans lip They're the most important tools of mine They feed my family and serve me well I trust my hands for the secrets they know For I know that they will never hint or tell With nothing more than just a finger They can keep a woman's body at bay With a gentle or rough touch They'll tell her I'm here to stay They protect my house If the moment came; they'd kill if need be Or sacrifice my life; my all To keep my loved ones safe and free They've been broke and broken They've been here and there They've saved lives more than once They've shown how much I care I wouldn't trade them for anything Though they're riddled with scars and rust I wouldn't trade them for anything They're the only ones I trust My hands are a part of me They've touched hearts and souls They've squeezed throats and heads They've sifted through the coals And tucked children into beds They tell a story Few have ever known And If you're lucky.... Yours have a story of their own