Hands

For years they typed
in one way or another
my livelihood
fingers touching
no frets, strings or keys but
F1, Control, Alt, Delete
but they itched
as if the scratches
circa 1978
(don't pick up half wild cats)
were fevered
for more than livelihood
and holding the thumb
over the bonghole

Then they smoothed
over clay
cut collages
with scissors
dipped brushes
into paint
scratched pens
onto poems
&
then they
stopped itching

Can't sell that remedy
in a pharmacy:
apply forever once a day
twice for withered souls