Left Hand Lost
Dory Previn Lyrics

The left hand is
The hand that is opposite of the right hand

We always say
It is commonly stated

The demon devil's side
It is associated with evil

The left had does
It performs

The dirty work
Task that are unpleasant, dishonorable or unethical

The shameful things
Acts that are embarrassing or disgraceful

Judas kissed the left cheek of christ
A betrayer (Judas) kissed the left part of Christ's face

It's satan's special mark
It is considered as a symbol of evil

There were no left-footed animals
No animals with left feet were allowed

Allowed on noah's ark
Permitted to board the ark of Noah

Left-handed people are impure
People who use their left hand are unclean

They go against the grain
They are different from the expected norm

Left-handed children
Young individuals who have a tendency to use their left hand more often

Play with themselves
Engage in self-gratification or masturbation

And drive themselves insane
And become mentally ill

I was born left-handed
My natural tendency is to use my left hand

But the nuns where I went to school
The religious sisters who were my educators

They said it wasn't right so they
They stated that it was incorrect to use the left hand

Broke me of it
They forced me to use my right hand instead

And now I'm right-handed
I use my right hand as my primary hand

Just like I'm supposed to be
As society expects me to be

And now I'm fine
And now, I am okay

I'm just fine
I am doing well

Really
Truly

But sometimes
Occasionally

I get so low so low
I become very depressed

Sometimes
Occasionally

I get so depressed
I become very unhappy

As though I lost
As if I misplaced

A part of me that loved me
A section of myself that cared about me

The part that knew me best
The section of me that understood me the most

The child in me that cried
The younger version of myself that wept

To be cherished
To be cared for and prized

The side of me
The part of me

That tried to be my friend
That attempted to befriend me

In the heart of me was living
A resided in my innermost self

And loving
And showed affection

But it perished
But it died suddenly

And I'll never be
And I will never become

Completely me again
Fully myself again

My right had fills the china teacups
I use my right hand to fill the fragile teacups

And needlepoints with old maid aunts
And to perform needlework with my spinster relative

My right hand clings to rosary beads
I clutch my right hand to prayer beads

And waters dying plants
And to water near-dead plants

But it's never painted a picture
But it has never been used to create a painting

Nor has it run for president
Neither has it campaigned for presidency

My left hand
My natural hand

Might have done these things
Could have done these actions

If its roots
If it had remained its natural self

Had not been bent
Had not been influenced or forced to change

A sculptor
A person who creates sculptures

A poet
A person who writes poetry

It might have been
It would have had the potential to be

Instead of a useless thing
Instead of a hand that is not being fully utilized

To decorate with bangles and bracelets
To adorn with jewelry

And my mother's wedding ring
Including the precious token of matrimony

Something
Anything

It might have accomplished
It would have had the potential to achieve

Or nothing
Or nothing at all

But now I'll never know
But that is something that I will never discover

Oh
Oh

My lost
My missing

My left
My natural hand

My natural hand
The hand that was inherent to me

My god
My goodness

I miss you so
I long for you greatly