The Hand

“The Hand” was written by Mary Ruefle, a poet, essayist, and professor at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. It was originally published in 1996 in a poetry collection titled Cold Pluto. The poem has a free verse format and 18 unmetered lines.

Like much of Ruefle’s writing, the poem blurs the lines between genres,. Although “The Hand” does not strictly adhere to any particular literary movement, it borrows from many of them. Elements of Imagism—an early 20th century movement that favored clear, sharp language and precise imagery—appear in the poem’s stark, simple descriptions. “The Hand” also contains themes of nature and the sublime, biblical allusions, and a valorization of individualism, all of which nod to Romanticism, a 19th century European literary movement that emphasized emotion, imagination, and the natural world.

“The Hand” is a piece of contemporary literature, belonging to an era that began at the end of World War II in 1945 and spans a broad range of styles and topics. The poem’s exploration of the speaker’s humanity, indulgence in everyday moments, and disengagement with class is typical of Ruefle's work. Images, descriptions, motifs, and themes from this poem recur in others: “Grasshopper” (2020) also seeks greater connection to nature and animals, “Lullaby” (2014) documents the stultifying boredom of formality in class or at work, and “Please Read” (2016) and “Keeping it Simple” (1982) feature birds as symbols.