A Touch of Ishtar

“I can read your palm.”, said she
as he drew nearer in the night.
He smiled at that,
Laid his hand bare
For her all knowing eyes to see.

She held it gently…
Almost tender-
And spread his fingers
open wide,
And told him secrets
of his life
Enclosed within his
prisoned mind.

He stood, amazed,
As he too gazed
Upon his naked hand.
That this strange woman knew him
(outside in)
was more
than he could stand.

“Witch!”, he cried, “Sorceress!”
“How is it that you see what none
have ever seen before?”
“How is it that
you’ve pierced my soul,
my hand
your only door?”

She stared at him in silence
With ancient eyes that smiled,
And then did speak,
“My son, you knew
the moment that my hand
touched yours,
that all men are my only child-
Since the dawn of age
And time
All men are my child….”