Two Hands

Ekphrastic poetry based on Van Gogh's painting "Two Hands"

What can be done with two hands?

 

Weather warn by day to day storms

Coarse in texture

And broad

Enough so to support life

Plunged into the earth

Or holding the tools to reap from it

 

What can be done with two hands?

 

Held out for food

Held out for salvation

Held out for the warm touch of lover's flesh

Begging out of necessity

Grasping out of fear

And reaching to fulfill an ache

 

What can be done with two hands?

 

Holding a child

Or alone at ones side

Gripping a brush to paint stars and skies

Pressing pens to crisp paper to spill out wonder

Immersed in clay brining life from mud

Or, so bound by the harsh work necessary for life

 

What can be done with two hands?

 

A history written

Molded by hands, many hands

A child raised

Molded by hands, many hands

 

Oh, what can be done with two hands?           

Author's Note

Oh, lala. I love Van Gogh's art work. I had to chose a piece to write about for creative writing. Here it is.

Reviews

[Another Relic]

You give us a good variation on a theme with this one in a good creative way. Your ending, to me, is a good example of stressing the importance of cooperation. Two thumbs up from me on this one. Nicely done.

[Cara Rosalie]

This is a concentrated vignette done well...I love how the focus stays stationary on the hand, but the fingers -- figuratively speaking -- stretch out to question and marvel at the many capabilities of hands. Lovely.

Thank you so very much, for the kind words on my poem.

[sid......]

this is so beautiful! (: keep writin

[Sam Severn]

Your words paint pictures with an unflinching eye, flecked with sentiment like a portrait sketched by a beloved one....FAN-F*****G-TASTIC!!! ㋡

[Daydreamer54]

I like this poem here! a great collaboration of art and literachure and the picture foes well if i do say so myself! great write! it's very poetic in a way! ^^

[jenniewren (J.W. Bouwma..]

Gripping a brush to paint stars and skies
Pressing pens to crisp paper to spill out wonder
Immersed in clay brining life from mud
Or, so bound by the harsh work necessary for life

mmmmm that is delicious to say aloud, and touches me particularly poignantly. i love the nearly classical tone i feel in this, given by the repetitive refrain..

i can hear the workings of your inner thoughts in this.. and that is pure delight to witness *smiles*

[Mary Evans]

Nice. I like this style. The content is pretty nice too. The flow seems a bit off to me at some points but that might be because of the style, idk my limited knowledge doesn't allow me to make a clear statement about it.

Anyhow very original and interesting piece of work, good job.

[J.M]

A very unique and creative piece - nice work. The use of repetition, and remoulding the line two hands to many hands is very clever. Well done.