Soft Handed Man

Firm handed greeting met with distain
I’ve shook hands with the elders, but they couldn’t feel pain
When touching my hands they felt no skill or experience
No struggle, no plan only soft inexperience
This had me shook and conflicted
That their perception was so restricted
Had me questioning…
Can you be a man’s man even with soft hands?
My labor is different if you don’t understand
Those before me who worked the plants and mills
That attained trade skills to pay their bills
Blood and sweat from their hands moisturized the earth
Though mine are less coarse, don’t think they’ve less worth…
My hands may not have pulled or planted fields
But I’ve used them when concluding million dollar deals
My hands may lack skill with auto, plumbing and electric
My hands are tech savvy and assist when data is collected
I went to school and earned that degree
Isn’t that who you told me to be?
Now my hands are softer since I went to college
And old men criticize a new form of knowledge
So don’t assume we’re lazy based on where our abilities are stationed
Premature Judgment, is another discrimination
 

To the trail blazers… have a conversation with this new generation
There are those of us willing to learn from your past
We pay homage to your knowledge, there’s no need for a clash
To the up and coming…stay open-minded to the ones that’s gone before you
They’ve set foundations and there’s plenty they could show you
So don’t look down on the soft handed man
Don’t judge a man by his hands, judge the man by the man