casting shadow (final? edit on 'your hands)

[Ruth]

Because I would not lift my face,
I looked to your hands,
your arms, the way
your elbows rested on your thighs, and
the shadows on the floor;
but mostly

I watched your hands.

Quietly, I saw meanings in their shapes: creative lover,
clever mind, passion, imagination.
I watched our shadows flicker and entwine.

My hands my arms, and
my body shook.

You stood, embraced me, and
held on until I let go.

After, as I write
I watch my hands,
their shapes, and meanings as
they cast their own shadows.

version twoish
your hands

because I did not lift my face,
I watched your hands, arms, your elbows, bent and resting lightly on your thighs,
and I watched the floor,
but mostly I watched your hands.

I saw the line that suggests a creative lover,
the one that shows a clever mind, imagination, and
the mound by your thumb that may indicate passion.

as we spoke, I saw meanings in their shapes, and
on the floor, I watched our shadows, made from street and candle light in a darkened room
flicker and entwine.

you stood, you smiled and then your arms embraced me,
and held on until I let go of you.

then I was on my way, casting my own shadows,
regarding my own hands.

original

because of your hands

because I looked at them
and not your face,
your hands,
the floor, my feet, but mostly at
your hands

and so,
I saw the line suggesting
a creative lover,
one that shows
a clever mind,
fertile imagination, and
the mound by your thumb
that indicates passion

covertly
I read the meaning of your finger shapes
long and articulate,
the depth of your spirit
as you moved your hands, and spoke softly to me

my own hands were shaking
as I rocked
ever so slightly, back and forth

and as I write, I tremble
briefly
at the memory of your hands