I Love E.E. Cummings

okay, i'm totally over-blogging today. sry.

i was reminded of this poem. i love it. Its by E.E. Cummings. his poems are quite... interesting, and hard to read. when i was in High School, my group had to read and interpret this. once i figured it out, i fell in love with it.

Anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didnt he danced his did

women and men (both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isnt they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed (but only a few
as down they forgot as up the grew)
autumn winter spring summer
that no one loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy and cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
that anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then) they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and no one stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
no one and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes

women and men (both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

OK, let me try to explain this. it may be hard. i'm sure you were totally lost; and there are bits of it that still confuse me. but, here we go.

Stanza 1: "anyone" is the name of the main character. all mention of bells, seasons, stars are just expressions of time passing by. "he sang his didnt he danced his did" is a wonderful phrase. i love it. he was shy, he didnt speak out much. but he had actions; those actions defined who he really is

stanza 2: The town people didnt care about him. thats sad. how depressing to know that people dont even take the time to "sow" a relationship with you.

Stanza 3: there are many references to people forgetting about him. they cared so little about him that they easily forgot. Anyway, no one loved him. AH, what a play on words. See, "no one" is his girlfriend, and soon wife.

Stanza 4: I love this stanza. It makes the romantic in me feel all sappy. "she laughed his joy and cried his grief." you know that you are truly blessed when you have someone who relates and understands you in this way. here's the best line in the poem: "anyone's any was all to her." Awe... how sweet.

Stanza 5: they get married, take their vows. yeah, the towns people may not care about them, but at least they have eachother. i'm guessing that "sleep wake hope" is meaning that they had this dream of what would happen in life, and now its finally coming true.

Stanza 6: Children are apt to forget to remember... thats a really interesting way of stating things. it REALLY shows how the townfolk just REALLY DIDNT CARE. they didnt just forget; they forgot to remember. i'm thinking that 'the snow can explain' means that as snow covers and hides everything, so time covered over any memory of this couple. ... ... do you feel some foreshadowing of what is to come?

Stanza 7: Anyone dies. how sad, that "i guess" is added. the people dont care... so 'i guess' is really relating that they didnt even fully notice that he had left. So, his wife (no one) stooped to kiss him, but soon after died too. cuz they were buried side by side. she couldnt go on without him.

Stanza 8: basicly, he just reiterates that they died. "no one and anyone earth by april."

Stanza 9: ok, i'm kinda guessing on this one. But... "reaped their sowing and went their came." I think the author is expressing that the towns people are the ones who totally missed out. they reaped what they deserved. they never got to know these wonderful people.

So, ask yourself: who do you relate to? I hope NOT the townspeople. Are you someone who just doesnt care about someone else? If so, let this poem tell you that ALL PEOPLE are special and have lives that can teach us lessons. especially those that get neglected so often. they are probably the ones with more depth to their personalities.

Or can you relate to Anyone? Do you feel unimportant? it doesnt come out and say these things, but i'm certain that it is true. He must have felt so depressed, so unsure about what life is supposed to be. was his life even worth it? THE ANSWER IS YES! so, if you feel like an 'anyone,' realize that YES, life is worth it.

Perhaps you are a No One. You have a person in your life who is like Anyone. Whether it is a spouse, significant other, or just a friend. know that the best thing to do is "laugh his joy and cry his grief." stand by that friend and encourage him/her thru the tough times.

okay, thats my 'lecture.' seriously though, i LOVE this poem. its fun, ridiculously worded, yet touching and even insightful.

i hope you liked it too.