E.E. cummings
Edward Estlin (E. E.) Cummings attended Harvard University before serving in
WWI. Disillusioned by the war, he began to split his time between Paris and New
York. His first book of verse, Tulips and Chimneys, was published in
1923. It was well-received, and he followed it with more collections. Cummings'
poetry uses colloquial language to convey strong romantic sentiments.
WWI. Disillusioned by the war, he began to split his time between Paris and New
York. His first book of verse, Tulips and Chimneys, was published in
1923. It was well-received, and he followed it with more collections. Cummings'
poetry uses colloquial language to convey strong romantic sentiments.
my love
my love
thy hair is one kingdom
the king whereof is darkness
thy
forehead is a flight of flowers
thy head is a quick forest
filled
with sleeping birds
thy breasts are swarms of white bees
upon the bough
of thy body
thy body to me is April
in whose armpits is the approach of
spring
thy thighs are white horses yoked to a chariot
of
kings
they are the striking of a good minstrel
between them is always a
pleasant song
my love
thy head is a casket
of the cool jewel of
thy mind
the hair of thy head is one warrior
innocent of defeat
thy
hair upon thy shoulders is an army
with victory and with
trumpets
thy legs are the trees of dreaming
whose fruit is the very
eatage of forgetfulness
thy lips are satraps in scarlet
in whose
kiss is the combinings of kings
thy wrists
are holy
which are the keepers of the keys of thy blood
thy feet upon thy ankles are flowers in
vases
of silver
in thy beauty is the dilemma of flutes
thy
eyes are the betrayal
of bells comprehended through incense
thy hair is one kingdom
the king whereof is darkness
thy
forehead is a flight of flowers
thy head is a quick forest
filled
with sleeping birds
thy breasts are swarms of white bees
upon the bough
of thy body
thy body to me is April
in whose armpits is the approach of
spring
thy thighs are white horses yoked to a chariot
of
kings
they are the striking of a good minstrel
between them is always a
pleasant song
my love
thy head is a casket
of the cool jewel of
thy mind
the hair of thy head is one warrior
innocent of defeat
thy
hair upon thy shoulders is an army
with victory and with
trumpets
thy legs are the trees of dreaming
whose fruit is the very
eatage of forgetfulness
thy lips are satraps in scarlet
in whose
kiss is the combinings of kings
thy wrists
are holy
which are the keepers of the keys of thy blood
thy feet upon thy ankles are flowers in
vases
of silver
in thy beauty is the dilemma of flutes
thy
eyes are the betrayal
of bells comprehended through incense
Listen
listen
beloved
i dreamed
it appeared that you thought to
escape
me and became a great
lily atilt on
insolent
waters but i was
aware of
fragrance and i came riding upon
a horse of porphyry into the
waters i rode down the red
horse shrieking from splintering
foam caught you clutched you upon my
mouth
listen
beloved
i
dreamed in my dream you had
desire to thwart me and became
a little
bird and hid
in a tree of tall marble
from a great way i
distinguished
singing and i came
riding upon a scarlet sunset
trampling the night easily
from the shocked impossible
tower i
caught
you strained you
broke you upon my blood
listen
beloved
i dreamed
i thought you would have deceived
me and became a star in
the kingdom
of heaven
through day and space i saw you close
your
eyes and i came riding
upon a thousand crimson years arched with
agony
i reined them in tottering before
the throne and as
they
shied at the automaton moon from
the transplendant hand of sombre god
i picked you
as an apple is picked by the little peasants for their girls
beloved
i dreamed
it appeared that you thought to
escape
me and became a great
lily atilt on
insolent
waters but i was
aware of
fragrance and i came riding upon
a horse of porphyry into the
waters i rode down the red
horse shrieking from splintering
foam caught you clutched you upon my
mouth
listen
beloved
i
dreamed in my dream you had
desire to thwart me and became
a little
bird and hid
in a tree of tall marble
from a great way i
distinguished
singing and i came
riding upon a scarlet sunset
trampling the night easily
from the shocked impossible
tower i
caught
you strained you
broke you upon my blood
listen
beloved
i dreamed
i thought you would have deceived
me and became a star in
the kingdom
of heaven
through day and space i saw you close
your
eyes and i came riding
upon a thousand crimson years arched with
agony
i reined them in tottering before
the throne and as
they
shied at the automaton moon from
the transplendant hand of sombre god
i picked you
as an apple is picked by the little peasants for their girls
the sky was
the
sky
was
can dy lu
minous
edible
spry
pinks shy
lemons
greens coo 1
choc
olate
s.
un der,
a lo
co
mo
tive
s pout
ing
vi
o
lets
sky
was
can dy lu
minous
edible
spry
pinks shy
lemons
greens coo 1
choc
olate
s.
un der,
a lo
co
mo
tive
s pout
ing
vi
o
lets