26

LOIS BEEBE HAYNA

bones in a human hand      26

letters in the alphabet      twice 26 weeks

in the year       she practices each day      loving

the agility of her tender bones       her

clever muscles which create a supple

music      half 26       the universal

unlucky number      her choice

to stop practicing      to let her hand

rock the cradle      to let it trigger

typewriter keys      result is simple

as ABC      half 26      the years not

fingering the strings      flesh

resists      muscles rebel

she strives

for the note.      she wrings her

twice-26 bones