The Poetry of E. E. Cummings Essay - 1255 Words

The Poetry of E. E. Cummings Is the of style e. e. cummings poetry its true genius, or the very reason the works should be called drivel? Alfred Kazin says that the poets style is arrogant and slap stick and that cummings is the duality of the traditionalist and the clown(155). Others, such as Richard P. Blackmur, say his technique is an insult to the writing profession. He says that cummings poetry would only appeal to those with a childish spirit(140). It was Mark Van Doren, though, who probably said the truth about cummings. He has a richly sensuous mind; his verse is distinguished by fluidity and weight; he is equipped to range lustily and long among the major passions(140) Through examples of his work, from spiralling†¦show more content†¦[W]hose only secret all creation sings is that the mothers [l]ove provides the universal rhythm . . . despite mans attempt to change or stop the rhythm, it marks the limits on his destructive power (Powers 237) and who knows what lies beyond. In Buffalo Bills cummings style not only includes line breaks, but run on and joined words as well. His line breaks and technique of separating words is a precise and deliberate method which causes the reader to think. Separating defunct by itself could also mean death (Dilworth 176). Using the word Jesus in a place by itself with a long space, indicating a pause, before and after it, indicate that it is not being used to describe Jesus Christ, but rather as an expression of amazement and awe, common in everyday speech. Cummings, throughout this poem, uses space in order to indicate pauses, much as a comma would do. In this poem he also uses run on and joined words to emphasize description of Buffalo Bill. In line four of the poem cummings wrote watersmooth-silver to describe the stallion in line five. The combination of the words are referring to the fluidity and grace of the mighty stallion, but suggest that it is a coward by describing its blood as water. This image does not coinc ide with the masculinity Buffalo Bill, himself, portrayed by not acting like a coward. Silver, used in conjunction with watersmooth, that described the stallion, Dilworth stated, could also refer to the silver-haired BillShow MoreRelatedPoet Portrait: E.E. Cummings Essay1119 Words   |  5 PagesPoet Portrait: e.e. cummings Introduction: One might not think a renowned poet would speak of making a mark in a toilet in his attempt to make his mark on the world, but e.e. cummings was no ordinary poet. e.e. cummings was a famous poet of the 20th century; is unique style in his poems helped him become the second most commonly known and read poet in the United States during his lifetime (â€Å"E.E. Cummings†). Being raised in a well-educated, literary family; Cummings had a strong background toRead MoreE.E. Cummings: Defender of Individualism and Non-Conformity1655 Words   |  7 PagesE. Cummings- Defender of Individualism and Non-Conformity E. E. 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He was a source of vast knowledge and was responsible for many creative works other than his poetry, such as novels, plays, and paintings. He published his first book of poetry Tulips and Chimneys in 1923. Many of his poems are known for the visual effects they create through his unusual placement of words on the pageRead More E. E. Cummings Essay858 Words   |  4 Pages E. E. Cummings: A Man of Poetry nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The background of E.E. Cummings, who was a distinctive, American poet, greatly influenced his literary achievements in poetry. This can be seen in the experiences of his early childhood. amp;#8220;Cummings was born Edward Estlin Cummings in Cambridge, Mass., on Oct. 14, 1894;(Ulanov 565). He was born into wealthy and creative surroundings. amp;#8220;Dr. Cummings was a woodsman, a photographer, an actor, a carpenter, an artist amp;#8211;Read MoreEe Cummings Essay that analyzes five Ee Cummings poems and connects them together in style, etc.1576 Words   |  7 PagesE. E. Cummings, an author known for his various poems and other forms of artwork, wrote numerous works of poetry over a vast amount of subjects. While the subject matter of the poems differ, a few elements of Cummings style stays the same in virtually all his poems, some of which is important and some of which is not. The fact that Cummings uses enjambment in his poetry is a stylistic trademark tha t however annoying its use may be is consistent. Other stylistic trademarks of Cummings poetry areRead MoreEE Cummings - Anyone lived in a pretty howtown and Maggie and millie and molly and may800 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿E. E. Cummings s experimentation with form and language places him among the most innovative of twentieth-century poets. He developed a style so unique that his poetry was not fully appreciated until after his death. Cummings experimented radically with form, punctuation, spelling and syntax, abandoning traditional techniques and structures to create a new and unique style of poetic expression. Like Charles Williams and many other poets of his time, Cummings expresses in his poetry his philosophicalRead MoreEssay about E.E. Cummings: The Birth of Modern Poetry1882 Words   |  8 Pageslove, and life. Like a great poet, E.E. Cummings employed his past experiences in his poetry and life. Known as one of the preeminent poets of the 20th century, E.E. Cummings poe try has received an array of both positive and negative criticism. Nonetheless, Cummings’s poetry has inspired many poets and authors with his liberal views on love, nature, and religion along with his modern writing style. Although many criticized his contemporary style, E.E. Cummings modernized the traditional views of loveRead MoreEssay about E.E. Cummings612 Words   |  3 PagesEdward Estlin Cummings is a famous poet and novelist. 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