In Love with E. E. Cummings's Poetry

Hello, everyone! April is here, and since it's National Poetry Month, why not enjoy some poems? 

There is no doubt that spring and love have been themes and topics that many poets have talked about for centuries. However, no one comes close to E. E. Cummings for me. Therefore, in this post I've selected some of his poems that talk about spring, and April in particular.

Enjoy!

Because it's

because it's

Spring

thingS

dare to do people

(& not

the other way

round)because it

's A

pril

Lives lead their own

persons(in

stead

of everybodyelse's)but

what's wholly

marvellous my

Darling

is that you &

i are more than you

& i(be

ca

us

e It's we)

Paris;This April Sunset Completely Utters

Paris;this April sunset completely utters

utters serenely silently a cathedral

before whose upward lean magnificent face

the streets turn young with rain,

spiral acres of bloated rose

coiled within cobalt miles of sky

yield to and heed

the mauve

               of twilight(who slenderly descends,

daintily carrying in her eyes the dangerous first stars)

people move love hurry in a gently

arriving gloom and

see!(the new moon

fills abruptly with sudden silver

these torn pockets of lame and begging colour)while

there and here the lithe indolent *******

Night,argues

with certain houses

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 every leaf opens without any sound

and wishing is having and having is giving —

but keeping is doting and nothing and nonsense

–alive;we’re alive,dear:it’s(kiss me now)spring!

now the pretty birds hover so she and so he

now the little fish quiver so you and so i

(now the mountains are dancing, the mountains)

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)

[into the strenuous briefness]

into the strenuous briefness

Life:

handorgans and April

darkness,friends

 

i charge laughing.

Into the hair-thin tints

of yellow dawn,

into the women-coloured twilight

 

i smilingly

glide.  I

into the big vermilion departure

swim,sayingly;

 

(Do you think?)the

i do,world

is probably made

of roses & hello:

 

(of solongs and,ashes)

Learn more about E. E. Cummings and read more of his poems in Poetry Foundation.