National Poetry Month: My Mother’s Left Hand by Linda Vigen Phillips

For National Poetry Month 2020, we present the poetry and prose from our Members.

MY MOTHER’S LEFT HAND
by Linda Vigen Phillips

She never once raised it to me, to attempt discipline.

The ugly rash on her wrist required constant scratching.

She applied cream and sat in her chair.

She was still able to light up.

That left three fingers for scratching.

I sat at her feet.

They itched sometimes, too.

Can you play?

Not now.

Oh.

 

Linda is the author of two Young Adult novels-in-verse: Behind These Hands (Light Messages, 2018) and Crazy (Eerdmans, 2014),  Follow her on Twitter @LVigenPhillips