Two Hands Commentary

Two Hands Commentary

The poem written by Jon Stallworthy is about the relationship between a father and a son. But instead of comparing them both as a whole the poet decides to compare the hands of the father and the son because they are two people who are genetically similar but have different talents. Thus linking back to the title "Two Hands" (comparison of both their hands). The poem is written in first person but it feels like that there seems to be some distance between the father and son that they are not on the same page. While reading this poem there is a sense of sympathy towards the poet.

It is evident that the son is disappointed at himself because he seems to be useless. Between lines ten and sixteen he criticizes himself how he cannot do anything except write and write.in the other hand his father is able to save people because he is a surgeon. As well the quote "a pencil nodding stiffly in the hand stiffly in the hand
that thirteen times between breakfast and
supper led a scalpel an intricate
dance". This explains how his father is able to do thirteen surgeries during the day. Also the personification of the scalpel shows how his father is skillful with the medical instrument. Also the poet tries to emphasize on how his father will always be better then him because he is seen as a hero able to do thirteen surgeries.

After the explanation of his father, the poet focuses on himself saying "I curse
tonight, at the other end of the house, this other hand whose indecisions keep
me cursing nightly; fingers with some style
on paper, elsewhere none" (lines 6-10). Here he is aggravated at his hands how he cannot obtain the same skill his father has. But he does not feel incompetent with his hands. He contains a lack of confidence in his skills. Then after it is seen his desire is to be very successful at his profession as writer. But he will be nowhere close to being successful like his father. Thus the quote "Hands so alike, spade palms blunt fingers short in the joint- would have no more in common?" (lines 11-12). Here it is explained that even though it is the same hand with similar features both hands do not share similar talents. So we can feel some empathy for the poet because he truly wants to make his father proud. This line is a very important part in the poem because it shows his feelings towards himself which anger