Machine Hands

Emily Gaudet

Machine hands that work day and night

With broken nails and straining joints

This magical machine braids, sews, and tears the fabrics 

that make us us, and fill voids we ignore

These machine hands aren't like others

with no off switch they lay incapable of rest

And lack routine repairs

It is often wondered what keeps them moving 

day in; day out

Day after day after day

But we as humans often ask the wrong questions

Not what, but rather

Who keeps them on? And why are they always running? 

Some of the machine hands are very small

And lack the proper experiences a machine must have

Before working in the factory

While other machine hands are very old

And risk the possibility of breaking on the job

It is said that the machine hands do not deserve empathy

Because they are just machines

And this is their job

But one can't help but wonder

How it would feel

To be a pair of machine hands