Humanity,
the Creator, the Destroyer.
What powers rest in your
wretched hands?
Chiseled from rough diamond,
forged in scorching flames,
hammered into fortified steel
to breed horrors and beauties alike.
The head of Holofernes,
reflected in tempered glass
a mirror of Saint Catherine
executed by the scythe of death.
Or the gentle touch of artisans
weaving tapestries of life,
painting art with blood
burning with the spirit of Caesar.
Whose right is it to uphold
the mantle of justice, of legacy?
Hands that persevere
when eyes say impossible.
Hands that fight
when eyes say surrender.
Hands that destroy
when eyes say linger.
And hands that create
when eyes say hopeless.
Humanity,
the Destroyer, the Creator.
How infinite the powers
your wretched hands behold.
A curse, a blessing, a shame,
yet all the same, is
nothing short of divine.
About Author
Gina Kotinek
Gina Kotinek is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the SPOT Lit. She can usually be found hunched over her computer, reading, writing, or searching for the art of conquering carpal tunnel and tendonitis.
About Poem
Artemisia Gentileschi was an Italian Baroque painter who was raped by her mentor Agostino Tassi at a young age. After the trial, Tassi was found guilty, but Artemisia was also punished. Her hands were ordered to be crushed. Despite this, she continued painting and became one of the most influential artists of her time. This poem references Artemisia Gentileschi and her works but focuses on humanity’s strength in the palm of their hands.