come a little further – why be afraid –here’s the earliest star(have you a wish?)touch me,before we perish (believe that not anything which has ever beeninvented can spoil this or this instant)kiss me a little:the airdarkens and is alive –o live with me in the fewness ofthese colours;alone who slightlyalways are beyond the reach of death… Continue reading E.E. Cummings
[Humanity i love you] Humanity i love youbecause you would rather black the boots ofsuccess than enquire whose soul dangles from hiswatch-chain which would be embarassing for both parties and because youunflinchingly applaud allsongs containing the words country home andmother when sung at the old howard Humanity i love you becausewhen you’re hard up you… Continue reading E.E. Cummings
[you shall above all things be glad and young] you shall above all things be glad and youngFor if you’re young,whatever life you wear it will become you;and if you are gladwhatever’s living will yourself become.Girlboys may nothing more than boygirls need:i can entirely her only love whose any mystery makes every man’sflesh put space… Continue reading E.E. Cummings
I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing / than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance. – E, E. Cummings, from [you shall above all things be glad and young] , 100 Selected Poems (Grove Press, January 10, 1994)
into the strenuous briefnessLife:handorgans and Aprildarkness,friends i charge laughing.Into the hair-thin tintsof yellow dawn,into the women-coloured twilight i smilinglyglide. Iinto the big vermilion departureswim,sayingly; (Do you think?)thei do,worldis probably madeof roses & hello: (of solongs and,ashes) — E.E. Cummings, ” [into the strenuous briefness],” 100 Selected Poems (Grove Press January 10, 1994) Originally published 1954.
& then there are those scrap poems,the ones too beautiful to finish writing,ones that would bring us too great a sadnessif we ever thought they could really end.There are many of those. — J. Todd Hawkins, from “Hooks Brothers,” This Geography of Thorns: Blues Poetry from the Mississippi Delta & Beyond (Poetry Society of Texas,… Continue reading J. Todd Hawkins
Doll’s boy’s asleepunder a stilehe sees eight and twentyladies in a line the first ladysays to nine ladieshis lips drink waterbut his heart drinks wine the tenth ladysays to nine ladiesthey must chain his footfor his wrist ’s too fine the nineteenthsays to nine ladiesyou take his mouthfor his eyes are mine. Doll’s boy’s asleepunder… Continue reading E.E. Cummings
if i believein death be sureof thisit is because you have loved me,moon and sunsetstars and flowersgold crescendo and silver muting of seatidesi trusted not, one nightwhen in my fingers drooped your shining body — E.E. Cummings, from “if I believe,” 100 Selected Poems. (Grove Press January 10, 1994) Originally published 1954.
the kisshot & yellowin the sodium glowof parking lot lamps& the whisper promiseto keep it hot — J. Todd Hawkins, from “The World LIt by the Tail Lights of an ‘82 Buick,” This Geography of Thorns: Blues Poetry from the Mississippi Delta & Beyond (Poetry Society of Texas, 2020)
worldis probably madeof roses & hello: (of solongs and,ashes) — E.E. Cummings, from “into the strenuous briefness,” 100 Selected Poems. (Grove Press January 10, 1994) Originally published 1954.
The Vale of Soul-Making 