In the Palm of God’s Hand
I dreamed I was in God’s palm
Not alone – a hundred or more
sought the same succor
I explored this miracle
Felt a callus on God’s finger
Sensitivity for the laborer
No silken luxuries in this hand;
traces of humankind’s misdeeds
His right eye, littered with shrapnel
Her left eye wept tears
black as the rains of Hiroshima,
thick as dredged Gulf Sea Tar
One arm was tattooed with a number,
the other bore scratches of barbed wire
from Matthew Shepard’s execution
The pinkie, blowing off bit by bit
by IEDs and drone strikes
His nose broken by bar fights,
her cheek bruised from spousal abuse
A rainbow was painted on God’s cheek
The children on God’s palm cried
One sold, one raped, one homeless
Adults cuddled them, sang songs
to them, and God smiled
“You are my angels on earth,
the face of Jesus, the form of
the Divine Sofia, and the human
evidence of my love for all
“Wake up and help me heal”
When I awoke, I prayed thanks
for this visit, and promised God
I’d give my all, with a servant’s hands
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Not written to any prompt, but on the Open Link page of Imaginary Garden With Real Toads and sidebar of Poets United. This was an actual dream… and there was so much more to tell. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
brian miller
wow what a vivid and powerful dream…the eyes…you had me there…and then the broken people in the palm….being the angels…and because of what we have been given, we give….
Adrian Aidz Giannini
Nice well crafted images leap out at me Amy bravo
annotating60
I thought tihs was really fantastic. I loved the gender change back and forth and the images were clear and succinct. Great read. >KB
lupitatucker
A commission. I like it!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Lupita. I don’t often comment, but welcome, and I’m coming to visit your blog now! Amy
Old Egg
What you piece shows is that although we give up on God, God never gives up on us and bears all our pain.
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
A beautifully written dream – something for me to ponder on.
Roger Green
Goodness, you can WRITE!
kimeln
powerful!
Lindy Lee
Yes, to all 8 stanzas; well done. 8 encores. You’ve covered the human condition artfully– great work…
Sherry Blue Sky
What an AMAZING dream! AND poem…….striking images, of all the suffering, held in the palm of God’s hand………….loved it, Amy, and it brings the suffering on this plane home….yet with love and hope, too.
Misky
This stopped me in my tracks.
Sharp Little Pencil
I don’t often comment these days, just go to your site, but this is high praise from someone as talented as you, Marilyn. Thanks.
ihatepoetry
And this is the dream you remember – imagine all the dreams lost to unconsciousness! Exquisite, my dear!
charliezero1.wordpress.com
Your dreams are intriguing and spectacular!
I dream therefore I am a dream within a dream.
Stephanie
Absolutely beautiful, Amy. How about if you use your other talent and put it to music so the band can sing it.
Sharp Little Pencil
WOW! One of my Worship at the Edge bandmates comments on my site! I’m thrilled, even though you don’t have a blog, so I cannot reciprocate the visit. Thanks for commenting, hon… don’t know how I could put this to music, but maybe just reciting it sometime… Love, AmyPants
Ruth
wow, i really love this, amazing, transporting dream
Linda Rogers
You sure have incredibly powerful and vivid dreams. Bittersweet images that have so much meaning and symbolism.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
A dream like this tells us what kind of god the world need – it seems quite opposite to the one preached in Church – well done, just what we need
L. Edgar Otto
This poem reaches new heights where at least in dreams we connect higher things with down to earth troubles… I just read in the science magazines that apes with artificial hand can feel touch now… how we wonder also at phantom limbs…and an article today says in sleep the brain activity comes alive when it thinks of numbers – on the left or right hand of things- which one of his arms was tattooed?
Sharp Little Pencil
I believe the Nazis usually tattooed the right arm, Edgar, that was a reference to the Holocaust. Keen observations, thanks!
Rachelle Smith Stokes
This is very powerful. I especially love when referring to God you switch between He and She! Love that. You painted so many pictures here and it flowed all together. Very touching and sad what we do. At the same time, I love how it ended with hope and there were always people throughout tying to make life better.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, I’m not a “Big Daddy God” kind of follower, ha ha. Just went to your blog and subscribed, so impressive!! Amy
Mary
What a reassuring dream this must have been, Amy… So many angels in God’s hand. This would really make a person see life in a few way and go forth…..
Maggie Grace
This is such a powerful write. Powerful dream. I never see myself after death with others. Alone and safe with my departed pets. People have been so cruel. Hugs.
Laura Hegfield
Oh Amy, so beautiful, and I can imagine “sitting” on God’s palm noticing the very same injuries, the same compassion, the same companions and so many more. Thank you for this.
poemblaze
Powerful poem.
Walt Wojtanik
A superb piece, Amy. I can see a good and loving God taking the bullet in this maddening world. You’ve given us all food for thought.
ohcgd108
wow..there’s so much in this. I can’t help but read it over and over. Especially like the part of ..
“Felt a callus on God’s finger
Sensitivity for the laborer
No silken luxuries in this hand;
traces of humankind’s misdeeds”
Ayala
Vivid dream, great piece.
kaykuala
In truth, there are lots of those unfortunates and the down-trodden. They appear too in dreams of those who care. Yes, we pray for their salvation! Great write Amy!
Hank