my god.. that's brilliant. Thanks so much I appreciate it. How unique :D.
I'm still trying to piece this one together though..:
Quote:
two
o o
ld
o
nce upo
n
a(
n
o mo
re
)time
me
n
Printable View
my god.. that's brilliant. Thanks so much I appreciate it. How unique :D.
I'm still trying to piece this one together though..:
Quote:
two
o o
ld
o
nce upo
n
a(
n
o mo
re
)time
me
n
Adol, I don't think it means anything much. It's all style. Sometimes there is no there there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adolescent09
Hi Adolescent, Sorry to have skipped over you like that. I took your first statement all wrong. I thought you did not like the poems and were poking fun at them; I'm so so sorry. Yesterday Downing and I were indeed talking on IM and trying to figure them out, as well, which proved to be rather entertaining for us. I told her they are somewhat like an anagram - is that the correct word for a scrambled word puzzle? Well, as any rate so far we have picked out some things from this poem - this is close I believe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Adolescent09
Two old men once upon a time (no more).
There are 6 "o" so that would work out. you can check the remaining letters for accuracy. I think you are free to place the words in any way that pleases you, but this is how I would read them, as I have them above. Like I had stated before about the first poem, I would say these are very much simplistic poems depicting one thought, much like a Haiku. They are fun to figure out I think, but as ktd222 stated some can really produce a headache. I like best cummings poems with more form, but I do enjoy the very simplistic ones written artistically such as this one and the ones in definite patterns. Some become exceedly obscure, I believe, towards the later part of his career.
Virgil, get out of here! Say what???Quote:
Adol, I don't think it means anything much. It's all style. Sometimes there is no there there.
I like best your 'SPEGHETTI' post.....now that one really gave me a roar!
[QUOTE=Janine;409936] Some become exceedly obscure, I believe, towards the later part of his career.[QUOTE]
So it seems as if people love E.E. Cummings' obscurity. These two 'necklace'-worded poems sure are obscure! Thanks for replying to my inquiry.. I get the point just a little now..
Adolescent - that is an interesting way of describing them - 'necklace worded poems'. I don't think all of his poetry is obscure. The two I posted I did not think so obscure or difficult to interpret. Perhaps people do find his more obscure puzzle type/graphic poems intriguing. I do sometimes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adolescent09
I felt the second poem suggests that now two old men are gone or departed, so it conjures up the idea they were and now are no more - 'mortaliy' - in one word. That poem reminds me of the Simon and Garfunkel song "Old Friends", for some reason.
I think the two men are not dead yet, but may soon be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
When I read the poem I rather visualized two old men sitting on a bench talking about old times ("once upon a ... time"), when they were still young and thought there was a lot of time lying ahead of them. But now they have grown old and there is not much time left for them ("(no more) time"). But these three words also signify that the times they are talking about are no more. They have passed into a different time, that of old age. The two words "no more" sound like a sigh of regret, of longing for the days when they were young. Perhaps there were things they wanted to do but never got to doing.
I think these associations are made possible by the form. If Cummings had written the poem in one or two lines, one would not spend so much time thinking about different connections of words, different sentence structure.
Hi barbara, this interpretation is excellent. I really like it. You have expressed it so well. I fully agree with your last line - this explains why Cummings wrote it this way. The different connections or sequences of words is something I too was considering. The poem is not static this way - it is more open to individual and varied interpretation - brilliant!Quote:
Originally Posted by barbara0207
By: E.E. Cummings
From "If"
If freckles were lovely, and day was night,
And measles were nice and a lie warn’t a lie,
Life would be delight,---
But things couldn’t go right
For such a sad plight
I wouldn’t be I.
If earth was heaven, and now was hence,
And past was present, and false was true,
There might be some sense
But I’d be in suspense
For on such pretense
You wouldn’t be you
If fear was plucky, and globes were square,
And dirt was cleanly and tears were glee
Things would seen fair,-
Yet they’d all despair,
For if here was there
We wouldn’t be we.
If
....
I love that one...
I think the two enigmatic poems you posted must be read a certain way, i.e. vertically and then you can form meaningfull words and expressions that were (in my limited view) E.E.Cummings attempt to match the look, timing and brevity of the item he was writing about. Of course it is senseless in normal parlance but he is one to take great liberties with the language. quasimodo1
quasi, excellent way of putting that! I enjoyed that last poem you posted very much. Glad to see this thread continuing. Keep up the good work. By the way, Q, e e never capitalized his name....sort of like quasimodo....;) 'e e cummings' always. He was a rebel! :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by quasimodo1
Thanks. *blushes*Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
Yes, I really think he did a brilliant job. Each time I read it I found something new - and it's only one sentence.
When I'm back in a fortnight we might perhaps discuss my all-time favourite: 'my sweet old etcetera' - if people are interested. So long!
(another great one from e.e.)
Great Dante stands in Florence, looking down
In marble on the centuries. Ye spell,
Beaneath his feet who walked in Heaven and Hell,
“L’Italia.” Here no longer lord and clown
Cringe, as of yore, to the immortal frown
Of him who loved Italy too well:
Silent he stands, and like a sentinel
Stares from beneath those brows of dread renown.
....
quasimodo, Glad to see this thread still going. I like cumming so much. Thanks for that last poem. I enjoyed it very much and I don't remember it from my book. Interesting last line. Nice use of illiteration.
Wow, can't wait to hear more cummings!
Charming!
Painting:
http://eecummingsart.com/gallery.php
Music:
Sonnets Unrealities XI
Bjork
it may not always be so;and i say
that if your lips,which i have loved,should touch
another's,and your dear strong fingers clutch
his heart,as mine in time not far away;
if on another's face your sweet hair lay
in such a silence as i know,or such
great writhing words as,uttering overmuch,
stand helplessly before the spirit at bay;
if this should be,i say if this should be-
you of my heart,send me a little word;
that i may go unto him,and take his hands,
saying,Accept all happiness from me.
Then shall i turn my face,and hear one bird
sing terribly afar in the lost lands.
---ee cummings 'it may not always be so; and i say'
:D A great one! thanks for that quasiQuote:
Originally Posted by quasimodo1
I have read this one before years back - what a great poem. Thanks for posting it white camellia. I love this thread!Quote:
Originally Posted by white camellia
http://www.gvsu.edu/english/cummings/Patchin.html An interesting visual of e.e.cummings living spaces. Great Site. quasimodo1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------e.e.cummings From "XLI Poems, Portraits, III"
Picasso
you give us Things
which
bulge:grunting lungs pumped full of sharp thick mind
you make us shrill
presents always
shut in the sumptuous screech of
simplicity
(out of the
black unbunged
Something gushes vaguely a squeak of planes
or
....
Nice, Janine. Lots of other poems from him I like, but this one had not been posted and it's great too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
btw, that's a fantastic painting you got from O'Keeffe. I once borrowed her biography from school library and was quite impressed.
I dont know if this has already been posted, but i find it lovely...
may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
....
From "O sweet spontaneous"
O sweet spontaneous
earth how often have
the
doting
fingers of
purient philosophers pinched
and
poked
thee
,has the naughty thumb
of science prodded
thy
beauty .how
oftn have religions taken
thee upon their scraggy knees
squeezing and
buffeting thee that thou mightest conceive
gods
(but
true
....
I love that poem:
(Me up at does)
Me up at does
out of the floor
quietly Stare
a poisoned mouse
still who alive
is asking What
have i done that
You wouldn't have
ee cummings
If this link works, the voice of e.e. himself on the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audioin...mmingse1.shtml quasimodo1
Re: on accessing this recording...you have to locate the play the recording note in the middle of the page and click on that before you can hear this amazing bit of audio. quasimodo1
it is at moments after i have dreamed
it is at moments after i have dreamed
of the rare entertainment of your eyes,
when (being fool to fancy) i have deemed
with your peculiar mouth my heart made wise;
at moments when the glassy darkness holds
....
e.e.cummings
quasi, this is another one of my favorites. I have read it many, many times before. Thanks for posting it! JQuote:
Originally Posted by quasimodo1
To Janine: Did you get a chance to hear the master? It is well worth it. quasi
quasi, I saw the 'cummings' site, but did not have time to listen. I can't wait to do that. I actually own a CD set, of all different poets reciting their own verse: Pound, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Walt Whitman, etc. It is so interesting to listen to their voices and how they recite their own work.Quote:
Originally Posted by quasimodo1
The cummings site is great and I put it into my 'favorites' to explore fully real soon. I loved the photos that I viewed, so far. I will go and listen to it now. Thanks for the great research!:thumbs_up Janine
Hi white camellia, whenever I see you, I am reminded that someday soon I must read 'Camille' by Alexander Dumas. I have the book displayed on a table, since it is a nice old copy, but it's begging to be read.Quote:
Originally Posted by white camellia
Thank you for noticing the O'Keeffe painting - It is called 'The Lawrence Tree' - she painted it for D.H. Lawrence, when they were friends in New Mexico. I found it when I was researching Lawrence, for the various threads we have referring to the author. In finding this painting, I found a lot more great paintings of hers, lovely poppy paintings and other flowers, etc., but I think I prefer her flowers. Love the red poppy ones - they would make great avatars! This painting, I have in my signature, is much better seen larger, when you can clearly make out that great blue sky filled with stars. I would like to read more about her; I can imagine her biography would be quite fascinating. I will have to put that on my list, which gets increasingly longer all the time.;)
From "love is the every only god"
who spoke this earth so glad and big
even a thing all small and sad
man,may his mighty fortress dig
for love beginning means return
seas who could sing so deep and strong
....
any illimitable star
Cummings, e.e.
From "when faces called flowers float out of the ground"
when faces called flowers float out of the ground
and breathing is wishing and wishing is having-
but keeping is downward and doubting and never
-it's april(yes,april;my darling)it's spring!
yes the pretty birds frolic as spry as can fly
yes the little fish gambol as glad as can be
(yes the mountains are dancing together)
....
when more than was lost has been found has been found
and having is giving and giving is living-
but keeping is darkness and winter and cringing
-it's spring(all our night becomes day)o,it's spring!
all the pretty birds dive to the heart of the sky
all the little fish climb through the mind of the sea
(all the mountains are dancing;are dancing) e.e. cummings
How jubilant this poem is! I love it - a really great spring poem...thanks quasi. I liked the one before it, too. What great poems we have all posted on this thread... so far. Can't wait to see what comes next.....(?) Keep posting! :thumbs_upQuote:
Originally Posted by quasimodo1
From "this(let's remember)day died again and"
this(let's remember)day died again and
again;whose golden,crimson dooms conceive
an oceaning abyss of orange dream
larger than sky times earth:a flame beyond
soul immemorially forevering am-
and as collapsing that grey mind by wave
doom disappeared,out of perhaps(who knows?)
eternity floated a blossoming
....
One of my all time favorties of e e cummings. I named one of my paintings 'sealace'.
From "because i love you)last night"
because i love you)last night
clothed in sealace
appeared to me
your mind drifting
with chuckling rubbish
of pearl weed coral and stones;
lifted,and(before my
eyes sinking)inward,fled;softly
your face smile breasts gargled
by death:drowned only
....
quasi, is there an echo in here? -- I just posted that one and so did you.....ahha....now I see.... you put at the bottom 'favorite of Janine's'. Yes it is one of my favorites. I gave the painting away years ago, or I would have a nice photo of it to show off. I wrote out the poem decoratively on canvas and had it attached to the back of the painting. Heaven knows what has become of the painting, by now. I learned my lesson, never giveaway/sell a drawing/painting without photographing it first. Such is life....live and learn...
in time's a noble mercy of proportion
with generosities beyond believing
(though flesh and blood accuse him of coercion
or mind and soul convict him of deceiving)
whose ways are neither reasoned nor unreasoned,
his wisdom cancels conflict and agreement
—saharas have their centuries;ten thousand
of which are smaller than a rose's moment
e e cummings
From "stand with your lover on the ending earth"
stand with your lover on the ending earth -
and while a(huge which by huger than
huge)whoing sea leaps to greenly hurl snow
suppose we could not love,dear;imagine
ourselves like living neither nor dead these
(or many thousand hearts which don't and dream
or many million minds which sleep and move)
blind sands,at pitiless the mercy of
time time time time
....
where is the poem.....i can't see any
From "all in green":
All in green went my love riding
on a great horse of gold
into the silver dawn.
Four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
the merry deer ran before.
Fleeter be they than dappled dreams
the swift red deer
the red rare deer.
Four red roebuck at a white water
the cruel bugle sang before.
Horn at hip went my love riding
riding the echo down
into the silver dawn.
Four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
the level meadows ran before.
....
Four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
my heart fell dead before.
ee cummings