The first few lines of Juliana Spahr’s poem “Tradition” focuses mainly on hands. This immediately made me think of the “Poem Written After September 11/2001” which obsesses over the spaces surrounding our hands. However, there is a difference in that “Tradition” seems more focused on our physical hand as well as the action of handing an object or idea while “Poem Written After September 11, 2001” has a different connotation of the negative space created and taken up by our hands. It is obvious that hand imagery is significant to the poems of Spahr but it is not overtly clear as to where the importance comes from. It seems as if it may be possible that Spahr is focusing on the connections that are made possible with hands. In the first lines of “Tradition” she writes:
“I hold out my hand.
I hand over
And I pass on.
I hold out my hand.
I hold out my hand.
I hand over
And I pass on.”
This image of an open hand which has the ability to transfer something or some idea definitely brings forward the idea of human relationships. The hand that the speaker is referring to seems to be open to receiving and giving. This openness is innate to the kind of deep human connection and shared experience in Whitman’s poetry. It even seems as though the hand itself is mentioned by Whitman as an example of human connection.
As far as form, Spahr’s play on the same words to create different meanings is very interesting as well as her use of repetition. The first seven lines of the poem which are written above use only nine words but can be taken in many different ways. This creates an experiential deepness to Spahr’s work that also reminds me of Whitman.
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