To labor with their hands

And it came to pass that I, Nephi,
did cause my people to be industrious,
and to labor with their hands.  2 Nephi. Chapter 5. Verse 17.

I rarely labor with my hands; they are a clumsy pair.

For carpentry or painting they do not possess much flair.

And in the garden, plucking weeds, quite often I mistake

Young and tender veggies for some weeds with my hard rake.

I’ve hauled around the furniture of friends and fam’ly till

My back is now a fertile field for ev’ry aspirin pill.

I’ve been on the assembly line; and worked the warehouse, too --

Until my feet are blistered and my hands turn black and blue.

I’m sorry, Brother Nephi, but I find it less a strain

To let my hands sit idly by and labor with my brain.

I honor those who toil amain to earn their daily bread,

Since if I had to do it I think by now I would be dead!