Self Portrait

i would draw a self-portrait of my left hand
but i'd be using my right hand
to draw

i've seen right hands and left hands
all over town    i've seen them
alone and together and in groups
in photos and in paintings
even in movies   even moving
the controls on the camera

i've seen them on finance sheets
and somewhere    somewhat more alive
hands in love with each other or
maybe belonging to the same body
or bodies that are almost as close
that move even closer

so here is my right hand
worrying    that it doesn't know
what the left hand will be doing
but then it settles    down to draw
my left hand    which    after all
it has known all its life