Recently I had the opportunity to become acquainted with renowned poet, E.E. Cummings! π I have never read any of his work before so I had no idea what I was getting into, but it was... a unique style, to say the least! π
A unique style for a unique individual... I ended up researching Cummings a bit because I was curious to understand the man who could produce such peculiar works of art. As it turns out, he led quite an eventful life!
Edward Estlin Cummings was born in Massachusetts, in 1894. From a young age he showed a very keen interest in poetry, writing his first poem at the age of 8!
During WWI, he served as an ambulance driver but was eventually imprisoned by the French for reason of espionage. I found this part interesting; Cummings time spent coding and decoding message during the war was a skill that would go on to be incorporated into his unique poetry style.
Anyway, he was eventually released thanks to the *loud * protests of his father π
Speaking of his father, Mr. Cummings would pass on due to a horrific car crash during E.E. Cummings early 30s. His mother would survive the crash, but his father's death would heavily affect Cummings life, and therfore his style.
Perhaps the strangest part of Cummings life was his affair with his friend's wife -- a friend who apparently not only knew of the affair, but approved of it! π± Cummings and the woman would end up having a child together while she was still married to her husband! She eventually divorced him, the child still believing that man had been her father, and she did not know that Cummings was her real father until she was 29! π΅βπ« The whole thing is incredibly bizarre...
Anyway, I read this one book titled 100 Selected Poems by E.E. Cummings. I have a few picked out that I really enjoyed, so without further ado, let's get into it!~ π
#1. Humanity, I love you
(Source: https://tings-and-tings.tumblr.com/post/178754821365/humanity-i-love-you-e-e-cummings/amp)
Cummings satirical, sarcastic tone does a wonderful job of capturing the paradoxical, sometimes cruel, nature of mankind. There is great imagery used throughout, great usage of play-on-words ("pawn your intelligence," "pride keeps you from the pawn shop").
#2. May I feel, said he
(Source: https://www.scribd.com/doc/289188712/Love-Poem)
A poem that is obviously about his affair. Just a silly little poem about adultery~
#3. Jehovah buried, Satan dead
A copy of the poem; it is too long for pictures lol: (https://allpoetry.com/Jehovah-buried,Satan-dead,)
This is one of my favorites of Cummings. He does a wonderful job of portraying a desolate, godless society. The world is "aleaking" and only Jesus can walk on water -- so who dares to call themselves a man?
King Christ, this world is aleak;
and life preservers there are none:
and waves which only He may walk
Who dares to call Himself a man.
#4. My father moved through dooms of love
A poem that pays lovely homage to his late father...: (https://allpoetry.com/my-father-moved-through-dooms-of-love)
Because my father lived his soul
love is the whole and more than all
#5. A politician is an arse upon
(Source: ~~~ embed:Poetry/comments/1g1friw/poem_a_politician_by_e_e_cummings/) reddit metadata:fFBvZXRyeXxodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRkaXQuY29tL3IvUG9ldHJ5L2NvbW1lbnRzLzFnMWZyaXcvcG9lbV9hX3BvbGl0aWNpYW5fYnlfZV9lX2N1bW1pbmdzLyl8 ~~~
A great two-liner that really captures the nature of a politician! π
#6. All ignorance toboggans into know
(Source: ~~~ embed:Poetry/comments/1gi94wn/poem_all_ignorance_toboggans_into_know_by_ee/) reddit metadata:fFBvZXRyeXxodHRwczovL3d3dy5yZWRkaXQuY29tL3IvUG9ldHJ5L2NvbW1lbnRzLzFnaTk0d24vcG9lbV9hbGxfaWdub3JhbmNlX3RvYm9nZ2Fuc19pbnRvX2tub3dfYnlfZWUvKXw= ~~~
This poem explains why history is always doomed to repeat itself, thanks to the inadvertent nature of humanity. The last three lines are beautiful, some of my absolute favorites from him...
#7. O by the by
(Picture is from my book)
This is my favorite poem by Cummings (thus far), and it is unfortunate that I cannot find a single analytical breakdown of it... so here is my own lol π
In this poem, Cummings makes a wish to somebody that he loves, which is symbolized with a kite taking off into the blue sky.
For me, it is trying to send a message to someone who has passed on, and "letting go" of the kite in the hopes that it will reach them. Of course, "letting go" is also a play-on-words for physically and mentally letting go of someone who has passed on. "Why people let go" does not always have to have a negative significance; sometimes it can be beautiful...
I also love the alliteration of "blue." Alone it is blue, in your company it is bluer, but together, as "ours," it is bluest.
Poetry is one of the most beautiful arts, I used to read a lot of poetry books and I also wrote some poems for my wife when we were dating.