Where Are Those Hands? Poem by Josephine Dunn

Where are those hands now
That once caressed with pleasure?
Around another woman’s hips
As you move close to kiss her lips.
Where is that loving kindness
You used to show to me?
Bestowed elsewhere or buried forever
Like some time-forgotten treasure.

The bed is cold now
Where once you used to lay.
No embrace now
To get me through the day.
No sweet smile upon the pillow
No gentle word goodnight,
No slow curl around me,
No passionate kiss at midnight.

Only memories of love growing cold
Slipping away before we grew old.
How gentleness turned to violence of late
And love began to harden into hate.
How fingers that had tenderly stroked,
Gripped my throat and nearly choked
My breath away –
Did God stay your hand and save the day?

Now lips that once spoke words of love
Snarl cruelly in contempt.
Hands that had held now push away
Each angry jibe is surely meant
To wound and kill.
Where there was joy, is now ill will.
Where are those hands now?
For me – forever gone.

February 2001