Hands of G-d

Hands of G-d

Whoever coined the phrase
G-d has no hands
but these

must have seen Uncle Jack's hands, I mean
they were hands fantastically crafted

for a fantastic craftsman.

Uncle Jack's hands
were huge.

I mean gargantuan.

Coconuts looked like raisins in them,

he could've platooned with Yogi
and saved the Yanks money on mitts.

His hands would've matched up favorably to Shaq,
Mutumbo, Andre the Giant and Sasquatch.

We didn't need to hear stories about Paul Bunyan,
all we could do is imagine how puny an axehandle must've looked in

Uncle Jack's hands.

THEY WERE HUGE!

In 29 years of fighting fires in the Bronx,

he must’ve at least sent one of the hook and ladder trucks

to the repair shop,

bending the metal wrungs like tin foil beneath his massive paw

while cradling a full grown man like an infant in the other.

I've never seen anything like them.

I'm sure glad I was always on the right side of them,
getting a warm hug as a nephew.

I never heard the story, but he must have knocked
SOMEBODY the fuck out with those things in raucous youth.

There are many people who should count themselves lucky
Uncle Jack

was a gentle giant

or there would be a few families who’s kids and grandkids would be missing teeth

Those hands were mythic!

He could wield Mars’s sword, John Henry’s hammer and

hold the torch

while the Statue of Liberty took a bathroom break.

They were like boulders with retractable stalagtites.
sledgehammers with opposable thumbs,
Walnuts would just open themselves out of respect, to save him the time and trouble.

The amazing things he would do with them:
bust his ass every day of his life to support his family

put out fires for the people of the Bronx
perfect his craft
teach and build sleds for his kids
play catch and tickle his grandkids (and grand-nephews and nieces).
hold the hand of his wife every day for 65 years

use them every day in every way possible to bring happiness to this world.

The surprising thing about them?

As big as they were, they still weren't big enough
to hold his heart.