Honest

With open hands, palms up.
She is honest.
A parlor trick,
a fine art.
He takes them from her
and turns them over.
Chipped varnish,
grazed and bruised.

Teeth marks on her knuckles,
in between her fingers chapped.
Palms up to show she is honest.
He turns them down to see the truth.

She wants to think it wasn't always like this,
but she doesn't remember anything else.

Never bite off more than you can burn off,
never chew more than you use.
You could drop ten pounds in a week if you want to -
it's only winning when you lose.