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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Susan Rooke: "A Marriage in the Hands"

















You make a fist, that I might see
your skin grow tight again,
smoothed across your hand.

Those big hands that you like
to joke are too heavy when carried
all day at the ends of your arms.

Then you relax your hand,
and all the skin relaxes, letting
go the taut shine of youth,

and I see your sacrifice,
the thirty years you’ve held
us close, held my strength

for me, and all your tenderness.
I put my own hand out, relaxed,
palm down, next to yours.

You are aging, so am I, and this
is something we have sworn
always to do as one. Undeniably

I see we have. Then you make
a fist again. I make my own.
As one we smooth the way ahead.



"A Marriage in the Hands" by Susan Rooke. Text as presented on Your Daily Poem (02/18/2014).

Art credit: "Harmony," photograph by Alexey Skachkov.



7 comments :

  1. Such a beautiful tribute to your marriage slowed my breath and teared my eyes

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  2. Hi there! Just wondered how far my picture could go and used a Tineye to check and found this. I an the author, my name is Alexey Skachkov. Nice to meet you!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Alexey! I'm not sure I understand--are you saying that you're the photographer who made this wonderful image? If so, I'd be delighted to give an attribution. Please provide its title, if there is one. And do you have a website where people can learn more about your work? Thanks for being in touch!

      Deep peace,
      Phyllis Cole-Dai
      Curator

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    2. Yes, I am the photographer who took it. I call it Harmony. I have a website but it's in Russian and mostly about my wedding pictures. www.alexeyskachkov.ru

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    3. Terrific! Beautiful photo! I'll add the information to the post. Best wishes!

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  3. We've been married 61 years. We look at each other's hands often, hers with thin wrinkles, mine with arthritis knarled knuckles and age spots. Quite changed, yes, but holding hands still is wonderful.

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