The hand that signed the paper - Richard Burton

The hand that signed the paper felled a city;

Five sovereign fingers taxed the breath

Doubled the globe of

Dead and halved a country;

These five kings did a king to death

The mighty hand leads to a sloping shoulder

The finger joints are cramped with chalk;

A goose's quill has put an end to murder

That put an end to talk

The hand that signed the treaty bred a fever

And famine grew and locusts came;

Great is the hand that holds dominion over

Man by a scribbled name

The five kings count the dead but do not soften

The crusted wound nor pat the brow;

A hand rules pity as a hand rules heaven;

Hands have no tears to flow