EE Cummings, a poet for the pleasure of my mind and the delight of my soul. He touches me. He tugs at my heartstring. The man’s gift is astounding.
If I may say so, poets are a breed of our own. I am excessively finicky when I read poetry because it has the power to affect me deeply. I have likings and then I have preferences. About 20 or so poetry works I keep available at all times, that I cannot be without. I like George Herbert ; Pablo Neruda is just beyond excellent. Al Motanabi. Aragon. Beaudelaire. Victor Hugo. Leon Paul Fargue. Jules Supervielle. Surprisingly, I am crazy about Danielle Steele‘s poems too (yes, she is an accomplished and wonderful poet.). I read these books continuously. But ee Cummings is my one soft spot. His unconventional poetry is as good as poetry can get, in my opinion. I even look forward to coming home to him after a long day, then his exquisite words start to swirl and twirl and waltz around me.
If you still haven’t been introduced to his fine verse and his delightful typography, please allow me the pleasure! Here are just a few excerpts…
“I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
I fear no fate (for you are my fate,my sweet)I want no world (for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you…”
“somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence…
…your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you always open petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose…”
“Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star…”