my favorite volume of poetry by Edward Estlin Cummings has to be ViVa.  Most of the poems I am going to present to you here are from that particular volume.  If you've never read him before, keep in mind;  e.e.cummings didn't write for your English teacher.  He wrote for human beings.  Each bit of punctuation, each space, the placement of each word .. he is painting a picture for you.  He is directing your train of thought with the same deliberate movement of a conductor's baton.
 

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond  (from "ViVa")
i like my body when it is with your  (from "& [AND]")
be unto love as rain is unto colour;create  (from "ViVa")
lady will you come with me into  (from "ViVa")
i sing of Olaf glad and big  (from "ViVa")
 

If you're still with me, here's my take on Edward.

I think he was a beautiful man.  An original thinker to the point where typwritten pages of poetry did more than bind themselves to the rules of the English language -- or any other, for that matter.  They were perfectly free.  (Now .. I know other poets have broken the rules .. but I think e.e. did it best.)
 
 


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