Today's Beautiful Gem: `Documents' by the Russian poet Vladimir Semyonov, translated by Avraham Yarmolinsky.

"These palms of mine--
If my papers were asked for,
And they'd been left at home,
I could present as documents
These work-hardened palms.

"Well, now, is everything in order? Answer!
They can tell you all you want to know:
The calluses on them are seals,
And I myself, Myself--
Am a livng signature to them.

"And when you've glanced at my hands,
You're likely to say, speaking
From the bottom of your heart,
`Such documents, friends, are no fakes,
You can't possibly forge them.'"

Om s'aantih: Peace! - J. K. Mohana Rao.

<:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:>345<:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:>