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Poem by Alice Barrett Levrett

Published in June 1994

My hands rest in my lap, white in noon sunlight.
For so long, they've grasped and held,
pointed and mended;
Now they can rest a bit.
The cuts in the nails reach beyond the quick;
their surfaces are not smooth.
The skin of the fingertips is creased deeply
and sometimes bursts open.
Cat claws, knicks, and burns
obliterate the life line.
Now they can rest.
I am done with grasping.

Alice Barrett Levrett, Massachusetts

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The Mindfulness Bell is a journal of the art of mindful living in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. It offers inspiration and resources for those practicing mindfulness in daily life and a connection to a community of people who aspire to live life deeply and in harmony with all beings. Subscriptions to The Mindfulness Bell support the work of Thich Nhat Hanh and the worldwide Sangha, as we offer methods for healing and transformation.