--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is…" description: "\"A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action.\" — Edward Hirsch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png" --- # A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action. ![“A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action.” quote by Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png) > “A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action.” [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetry serves as a tool, a hook, and a prayer, embodying active spirituality **In simple terms:** Poetry is a tool, a hook, and a prayer Key Takeaway Use poetry to connect, engage, and reflect Themes poetry spirituality creativity expression Mood reflective contemplative Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal reflection - teaching literature Key Concepts metaphor ritual artistic practice Questions to Reflect On - What does poetry do for you? - How can you make poetry more accessible? A Different Perspective Poetry may not resonate with everyone ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hook/) [Hook Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hook-prayer-294977/) [Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem/) [Poem Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-hand-294975/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-soul-294976/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/what-wings-are-to-a-bird-and-sails-to-a-ship-so-is-prayer-to-the-soul/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. Prayer is the burden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery/prayer-is-the-soul-s-sincere-desire-uttered-or-unexpressed-the-motion/) [James Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery/) > [ “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or expressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.\[1\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknown-christian/prayer-is-the-soul-s-sincere-desire-uttered-or-expressed-the-motion/) [Unknown Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknown-christian/) > [“Regarding 'Jabez's Prayer', I will say at once that I am a very poor Christian, and indeed a bad man. My besetting sins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markham-shaw-pyle/regarding-jabez-s-prayer-i-will-say-at-once-that-i-am-a-very-poor/) [Markham Shaw Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markham-shaw-pyle/) > [In prayer the soul comes nearest the experience of absolute love: in belief it ascends by means of symbols towards absolute truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/in-prayer-the-soul-comes-nearest-the-experience-of-absolute-love-in/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, prayer is to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/what-wings-are-to-a-bird-and-sails-to-a-ship-prayer-is-to-the-soul/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [Do not neglect secret prayer, for it is the soul of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-neglect-secret-prayer-for-it-is-the-soul-of-religion/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Prayer is the soul's sincere desire. Your desire is your prayer. It comes out of your deepest needs and it reveals the things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/prayer-is-the-soul-s-sincere-desire-your-desire-is-your-prayer-it/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“Prayer is to the soul what oxygen is to the heart life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-c-miller/prayer-is-to-the-soul-what-oxygen-is-to-the-heart-life/) [Lisa C. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-c-miller/) > [A childish soul not inoculated with compulsory prayer is a soul open to any religious infection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/a-childish-soul-not-inoculated-with-compulsory-prayer-is-a-soul-open/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [A prayer less soul is a Christ less soul..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-prayer-less-soul-is-a-christ-less-soul/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Prayer feeds the soul - as blood is to the body, prayer is to the soul - and it brings you closer to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/prayer-feeds-the-soul-as-blood-is-to-the-body-prayer-is-to-the-soul/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Prayer is not a stratagem for occasional use, a refuge to resort to now and then. It is rather like an established residence for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/prayer-is-not-a-stratagem-for-occasional-use-a-refuge-to-resort-to/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Prayer is the soul's breathing itself into the bosom of its heavenly Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/prayer-is-the-soul-s-breathing-itself-into-the-bosom-of-its-heavenly/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [I live every day with thanksgiving in my heart and prayer in my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/analiza-garcia/i-live-every-day-with-thanksgiving-in-my-heart-and-prayer-in-my-soul/) [Analiza Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/analiza-garcia/) ## More by Edward Hirsch > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“I did not know the work of mourning Is like carrying a bag of cement Up a mountain at night The mountaintop is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-did-not-know-the-work-of-mourning-is-like-carrying-a-bag-of-cement/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. That’s the way the season Changes its tense in the long-haired maples That dot the road; the veiny hand-shaped leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/fall-fall-falling-fallen-that-s-the-way-the-season-changes-its-tense/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I find great consolation in having a lot of poetry books around. I believe that writing poetry and reading it are deeply intertwined. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-find-great-consolation-in-having-a-lot-of-poetry-books-around-i/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I had feelings that I didn't know what to do with, and I felt better when I started writing them. I thought of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-had-feelings-that-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-and-i-felt-better/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I think in terms of educating a group of readers, MFA programs are very good. I just think the model of MFA programs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-in-terms-of-educating-a-group-of-readers-mfa-programs-are/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Jonson wrote a poem and called his son His best piece of poetrie A lovely line a little loathsome I loved that poem once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/jonson-wrote-a-poem-and-called-his-son-his-best-piece-of-poetrie-a/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [It does demand a certain space in order to read it and I think that space is somewhat threatened by the lack of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/it-does-demand-a-certain-space-in-order-to-read-it-and-i-think-that/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [...I put down these memorandums of my affections in honor of tenderness, in honor of all of those who have been conscripted into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-put-down-these-memorandums-of-my-affections-in-honor-of-tenderness/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry is a vocation. It is not a career but a calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-is-a-vocation-it-is-not-a-career-but-a-calling/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [You're shadowed by your own dream, especially as you get older, of trying to create something that will last in poetry. And so, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-re-shadowed-by-your-own-dream-especially-as-you-get-older-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [The attention deficit disorder of the culture is very distressing in America now and I think it puts a lot of things at risk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-attention-deficit-disorder-of-the-culture-is-very-distressing-in/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Now, as I've gotten older I've been able to write more quickly. Sometimes I get in the space of something and I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/now-as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-been-able-to-write-more-quickly/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry takes courage because you have to face things and you try to articulate how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-takes-courage-because-you-have-to-face-things-and-you-try-to/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) [Explore all 222 Edward Hirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Hirsch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a-soul-in-action/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a-soul-in-action/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/edward-hirsch-1614_action_a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a_2432133.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A poem is a hand, a hook, a prayer. It is a soul in action.” — Edward Hirsch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward Hirsch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A poem is a hand, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a-soul-in-action/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/a-poem-is-a-hand-a-hook-a-prayer-it-is-a-soul-in-action/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```