Ballad of the Hands

A woman smiles and laughs with her hands
and sings a silent song --
like dancing droplets of the setting sun
fingers are there -- then gone.
 
All eyes are on her hands as they leap
from heart to ears.  Then cheeks 
are touched as lips move silently,
mouthing the words she speaks.
 
She's building bridges and rainbows
as if the air was clay.
She snatches phrases from the air
and puts words on display
 
for the crowd to see.  But only one
will know she's cupping words
like water, careful to preserve
everything she has heard.

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