This is Day Twenty-Six of Paul Brookes’ January going into February Ekphrastic Challenge. All of the artwork is wonderful, but once I saw Kerfe Roig’s “These Hands,” I had to write about them.
Her Hands
Her hands are a kaleidoscope,
holding within all the colors,
shapes, textures she once touched.
Far distant memories telescoped
and brought close—flaking pink polish on her nails
makes her think of flowers that grew in her garden,
her crooked finger,
reminds her of her mother’s hands.
Her hands are a map,
the etched lines a pathway showing where she’s gone
and where she’s heading. That crosshatch marks the years
of the now-demolished city shop
where she touched goods and gestured to customers—
these show the first time
she picked up a paintbrush, or
held a small boy’s hand as he scampered on a beach.
She sees his boy-face in her mind, clearer to her than his man-face,
though it’s been decades since he was a boy. Her hands
are treasure boxes full of memories—everything she has ever touched—children,
flowers, pets, lovers. She can’t see the spots on her skin, or
the wrinkled creases, but she can feel the touch of my skin—
my hand holding hers.
Never really think of hands do we . Loved this piece made me think in a different way .
Thank you so much. I appreciate your kind words very much.
Beautiful!
Thank you so much!
So symbolic of so much, thank you Merril 🌺
Thank you, Susan. 😀
This is so beautiful, Merril. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much, Jill!
As a “hands person” I can only keep nodding my head as I read line by line. This is beautiful, Merril.
Aww–thank you so much, Dale!
Definitely my pleasure!
What a beautiful ode to a lifetime of hands.
Thank you so much, Derrick.
My Grandma L. says she wished she could have pretty hands, odd because she was never a vain person. To me, her hands were beautiful, a map of her life of service to her family and many others. I may have referred to her hands in my memoir.
I love your images. Lovely!
Thank you very much, Marian! Kerfe’s art really inspired me with this one. I’m glad it touched a chord with you.
🙂
Reblogged this on The Wombwell Rainbow.
Thank you, Paul.
I read this as a loving tribute to a mother’s hands–and a reminder that we should honor our own aging as well.
Thank you very much, Liz. I did think of my mom, but also any older woman.
Hands are so evocative. Wonderful reflection. (K)
Thank you so much. Wonderful art!
I totally was engrossed in this little poem. The divinity of the hands. At least for now, it gave me a new perspective.
Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hadn’t thought of divinity. Interesting.