8.17.2015

5 Poems to Read by E.E. Cummings

E.E. Cummings is the poet responsible for so many ingenious poems, such as [i carry your heart with me (i carry it in], [anyone lived in a pretty how town], and [in Just -]. But, you've probably read those before. When I thought about creating this post, I wanted to show off poems by E.E. Cummings that were new for me, too. So naturally, I started Googling. Below are the results of my intrepid search. In case you were curious, it wasn't too hard to find dozens and dozens of E.E. Cummings poems I haven't read before –– he was pretty prolific. Now, choosing only five? That was tough. Take a look below. What would you add? Feel free to comment on your favorite E.E. Cummings poems below this post.

1. all nearness pauses, while a star can grow


all nearness pauses, while a star can grow

all distance breathes a final dream of bells;
perfectly outlined against afterglow
are all amazing the and peaceful hills

(not where not here but neither's blue most both)

and history immeasurably is
wealthier by a single sweet day's death:
as not imagined secrecies comprise

goldenly huge whole the upfloating moon.

Time's a strange fellow;
                                       more he gives than takes
(and he takes all) nor any marvel finds

quite disappearance but some keener makes
losing, gaining
                        -- love! if a world ends

more than all worlds begin to (see?) begin

[via Poetry Magazine]



2. [as freedom is a breakfastfood]


as freedom is a breakfastfood 
or truth can live with right and wrong
or molehills are from mountains made
––long enough and just so long
will being pay the rent of seem
and genius please the talentgang
and water most encourage flame

as hatracks into peachtrees grow
or hopes dance best on bald men's hair
and every finger is a toe
and any courage is a fear
––long enough and just so long
will the impure thing all things pure
and hornets wail by children stung

or as the seeing are the blind
and robins never welcome spring
nor flatfolk prove their world is round
nor dingsters die at break of dong
and common's rare and millstones float
––long enough and just so long
tomorrow will not be too late

worms are the words but joy's the voice
down shall go which and up come who
breasts will be breasts thighs will be thighs 
deeds cannot dream what dreams can do
––time is a tree(this life one leaf)
but love is the sky and i am for you
just so long and long enough


























3. unlove's the heavenless hell and homeless home


unlove's the heavenless hell and homeless home

of knowledgeable shadows (quick to seize
each nothing which all soulless wraiths proclaim
substances; all heartless spectres, happiness)

lovers alone wear sunlight. The whole truth

not hid by matter; not by mind revealed
(more than all dying life, all living death)
and never which has been or will be told

sings only –– and all lovers are the song.

Here (only here) is freedom: always here
no then of winter equals now of spring;
but april's day transcends november's year

(eternity being so sans until
twice i have lived forever in a smile)



4. my father moved through dooms of love


my father moved through dooms of love
through sames of am through haves of give,
singing each morning out of each night
my father moved through depths of height

this motionless forgetful where
turned at his glance to shining here;
that if (so timid air is firm)
under his eyes would stir and squirm

newly as from unburied which
floats the first who, his april touch
drove sleeping selves to swarm their fates
woke dreamers to their ghostly roots

and should some why completely weep
my father's fingers brought her sleep:
vainly no smallest voice might cry 
for he could feel the mountains grow.

Lifting the valleys of the sea
my father moved through griefs of joy;
praising a forehead called the moon
singing desire into begin

joy was his song and joy so pure
a heart of star by him could steer
and pure so now and now so yes
the wrists of twilight would rejoice

keen as midsummer's keen beyond
conceiving mind of sun will stand, 
so strictly (over utmost him
so hugely) stood my father's dream

his flesh was flesh and his blood was blood:
no hungry man but wished him food;
no cripple wouldn't creep one mile
uphill to only see him smile.

Scorning the Pomp of must and shall 
my father moved through dooms of feel;
his anger was as right as rain
his pity was as green as grain

septembering arms of year extend
less humbly wealth to foe and friend
than he to foolish and to wise
offered immeasurable is

proudly and (by octobering flame
beckoned) as earth will downward climb,
so naked for immortal work
his shoulders marched against the dark

his sorrow was as true as bread:
no liar looked him in the head;
if every friend became his foe
he'd laugh and build a world with snow.

My father moved through theys of we,
singing each new leaf out of each tree
(and every child was sure that spring
danced when she heard my father sing)

then let men kill which cannot share,
let blood and flesh be mud and mire,
scheming imagine, passion willed,
freedom a drug that's bought and sold

giving to steal and cruel kind,
a heart to fear, to doubt a mind,
to differ a disease of same,
conform the pinnacle of am

through dull were all we taste as bright,
bitter all utterly things sweet,
maggoty minus and dumb death
all we inherit, all bequeath

and nothing quite so least as truth
––i say though hate were why men breathe––
because my Father lived his soul
love is the whole and more than all

[via Poets.org]


























5. Spring is like a perhaps hand


Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and

changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything.

[via Poets.org]


























And there you have it. Thoughts, comments, reading suggestions, a killer scone recipe? Comment below. I'm 98% positive I'm dying to read it.


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