Your Hands

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Poem

When your hands leap
towards mine, love,
what do they bring me in flight?
Why did they stop
at my lips, so suddenly,
why do I know them,
as if once before,
I have touched them,
as if, before being,
they travelled
my forehead, my waist?
Their smoothness came
winging through time,
over the sea and the smoke,
over the Spring,
and when you laid
your hands on my chest
I knew those wings
of the gold doves,
I knew that clay,
and that colour of grain.
The years of my life
have been roadways of searching,
a climbing of stairs,
a crossing of reefs.
Trains hurled me onwards
waters recalled me,
on the surface of grapes
it seemed that I touched you.
Wood, of a sudden,
made contact with you,
the almond-tree summoned
your hidden smoothness,
until both your hands
closed on my chest,
like a pair of wings
ending their flight.

Short Poem Analysis

"Your Hands" by Pablo Neruda is a short but powerful poem that uses vivid imagery to convey the speaker's love and admiration for their partner's hands. The poem describes the hands as "two cool bowls of water," highlighting their smoothness and serenity. The speaker goes on to compare the hands to birds, fish, and other beautiful, fluid things in nature, suggesting that they are a source of comfort and grace. The final line, "I love your hands," is a simple yet poignant declaration of the speaker's affection, emphasizing the power of touch and physical connection in a romantic relationship. Overall, "Your Hands" is a beautiful ode to the simple yet profound ways in which we express love and appreciation for the people we care about.