E. E. Cummings

Franklin Library E. E. Cummings books

Collected Poems of  E. E. Cummings - 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature - 1977

E. E. Cummings biography

E. E. (Edward Estlin) Cummings (1894-1962) was an American poetry writer, and author who was born in Cambridge Massachusetts. E. E. Cummings was a Harvard University Graduate, and attended high school at Cambridge Latin High School. He served as an ambulance driver in World War One, and was wrongfully sentenced to prison for 3 months on the accusation of treason by France. The novel The Enormous Room (1922) by E. E. Cummings was written as a reflection of his time prison. However despite his wrongful prison time, E. E. Cummings remained in France following World War One and began to study art and write poetry. Following the war and time spent learning about art, he began to spend time in American with frequent travel back to France. During this time the first book of poetry by E. E. Cummings was published titled Tulips and Chimneys (1923). Following the death of his father in a car accident, he described the event in i: six nonlectures (1953) a collection of his lectures at Harvard University.

The poetry of E. E. Cummings is notable for its eccentric typography, use of slang, distorted syntax, and use of Jazz style rhythms. His poetry can be viewed as basically sentimental verges and lyrics. Of the notable novels and books of poetry by E. E. Cummings are The Enormous Room (1922), Tulips and Chimneys (1923), XLI Poems (1925), is 5 (1926), HIM (1927), ViVa (1931), Eimi (1933), No Thanks (1935), Collected Poems (1960), 50 Poems (1940), 1 × 1 (1944), XAIPE (1950), i—six nonlectures (1953), Poems, 1923-1954 (1954), and 95 Poems (1958). The following books were published after E. E. Cummings died in 1962: 73 Poems (1963), and Fairy Tales (1965).

 At the time of his death in 1962, E. E. Cummings was, next to Robert Frost, the most widely read poet in America. Combining Thoreau's controlled belligerence with the brash abandon of an uninhibited bohemian, Cummings, together with Pound, Eliot, and William Carlos Williams, helped bring about the twentieth-century revolution in literary expression. He is recognized on the one hand as the author of some of the most beautiful lyric poems written in the English language, and on the other as one of the most inventive American poets of his time in the worlds of Richard Kostelanetz, "the major American poet of the middle-twentieth-century."

 

E.E. Cummings love poems

E.E. Cummings, known for his innovative and unconventional style, wrote several love poems that are celebrated for their unique approach to language and their exploration of the complexities of love. His love poems often explore the emotional depth and transformative power of love, employing his signature style to convey complex feelings in a unique and memorable way.

I carry your heart with me

I carry your heart with me is a well-known poem by the American poet E.E. Cummings. It was first published in 1952 in his collection Complete Poems: 1904-1962. E.E. Cummings is known for his distinctive style, characterized by the unconventional use of punctuation, grammar, and spacing. In I carry your heart with me, Cummings explores themes of love, unity, and the deep connection between two individuals. The poem expresses the idea that the speaker carries the essence and presence of a loved one in their heart, wherever they go. The use of lowercase letters and lack of conventional punctuation are hallmarks of Cummings' poetic style, contributing to the emotional and visual impact of the poem.

In Just

In Just- is a well-known poem by E.E. Cummings that captures the essence of spring and the joy of childhood. It was first published in 1923 in Cummings' collection Tulips & Chimneys. Cummings' playful and innovative use of language is evident in In Just. He invents words and uses unusual line breaks and spacing to create a sense of whimsy and spontaneity. The poem celebrates the arrival of spring and the carefree spirit of children playing outdoors. The balloonman and the references to childhood activities contribute to the overall atmosphere of joy and renewal.

Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill captures the energy and spectacle of Buffalo Bill Cody, the legendary figure of the American Old West and the founder of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Cummings' poem is a succinct and vivid portrayal of Buffalo Bill's life and demise. The unconventional formatting, with fragmented lines and lack of traditional punctuation, is a hallmark of Cummings' style. The poem reflects on mortality and the fleeting nature of life, ending with a direct address to death in the final lines. The use of lowercase letters and the absence of punctuation contribute to the poem's modernist and experimental quality.