When I first saw those honest hands,
the bones and veins,
the cross-hatched lines,
fingertips together,
gently clasped in prayer,
captured in ink,
I think
I began to understand
spirituality.
Oh, to draw such a hand!
© Kim M. Russell, 2016
On First Seeing ‘Praying Hands’ by Dürer
writing in north norfolk 
Hi Kim, Really nice little poem!
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Art music and poetry and are great inspiration for spirituality. Beautiful drawing.
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Thank you!
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Yes indeed! They make a powerful impact, and do indeed convey the depths and the essence of spirituality. I first saw them when I was quite young. I have come across them many times since, and they never fail to convey that same feeling.
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🌞
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Art forms complement each other and poetry and fine art do so very well. Both try so hard to express feelings and your words are admirable.
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Your small poem has a big meaning. I do think if a person really contemplates something – a poem, a work of art – one can discover something bigger than if one only glanced at it and moved on. This is the message I get from your poem, and I do understand it.
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Thank you, Mary.
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Your poem is nothing short of serene and soulful, Kim! 😍😍😍
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Thank you, Sanaa! 🌞🌞🌞
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There is such a deep impact in the concept of hands…
not even the rain has such small hands.
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😊
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Beautiful………those hands do reflect spirituality, I think.
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Thank you, Sherry.
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What a great poem. I loved this painting for years. an honest hand as you say with long sensitive fingers and traces of hard work combined. It does make one understand spirituality and on a deeper note, Christian religion because I understand these hands are based on Jesus’ hands.
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Thank you, Toni!
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Although they may be based on Jesus’ hands, they are not his. They are clearly elderly hands, which is part of their beauty – as Kim’s lovely poem details. This means they are human hands. (Though Jesus was human too, he did not live to be old.) To me that emphasises the spirituality even more, showing how prayer is our connection to God. The phrase ‘honest hands’ is so perfect, in every way in which it can be read – and obviously is intended to be read – in this context.
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Like a steeple, those “honest hands” — to be that delicate with the spiritual is what makes it such a fine work by Durer — and a poem that says all so briefly.
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Thank you, Brendan.
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Really beautiful, Kim.
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Thank you, Vicki.
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Art can be a true inspiration. This is lovely Kim!
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Thank you, Carrie!
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Yes, I think art is a spiritual practice and can make us more aware of our spiritual selves.
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Thank you, Myrna.
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This is a lovely articulation of the coming together of art and inspiration and spirituality, that is really quite profound and compelling, Kim.
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Thank you, Wendy.
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I remember seeing that very image and feeling absolutely stunned – into a reverential silence …. so I can so relate to how you’ve written this poem, and the essences you’ve shared here in the translation. I have to say, I would have never thought to “marry these ideas” with the image – but yes, subconsciously, I believe you’ve done this justice for the prayerful and peace.
amazing idea and poem Kim!
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Thank you, Pat!
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There is a gentleness, a seeing in the poem and in the hands… that, as the poem suggests, certainly speaks to the spirit of more.
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Thank you, Magaly. Being moved by an image is different to being moved by words – the combination of both is a different experience again – spirituality is always present.
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Beautiful…
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Thank you, Rajani!
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This is beautiful in its brevity — the spiritual in its view and purview of the Durer is lovely! 🙂
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Thank you, Anmol!:)
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Lovely poem, Kim.
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kaykuala
It creates a picture of wanting to connect with someone dear accompanied with the humility of purpose. Such an attitude often result in easier success!
Hank
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