Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"&: Seven Poems: 1" by E.E. Cummings is a fascinating exploration of sensory experience and emotional connection, conveyed through Cummings' characteristic use of unconventional structure, punctuation, and typography. The poem captures the fragmented and dynamic nature of physical and emotional intimacy, using vivid and often surprising imagery to create a sense of movement and fluidity.

The poem begins with the speaker declaring, "i will be / Moving in the Street of her / body." This imagery suggests an intimate exploration of the beloved's body, likening it to a street through which the speaker moves. The use of the word "Street" capitalized gives the image a sense of significance, as if the body is not just a physical entity but a place with its own paths and directions to be discovered.

The speaker continues to describe this movement as feeling "aroundMe the traffic of / lovely;muscles," which evokes the sensation of touching and experiencing the contours and tensions of the beloved's body. The phrase "traffic of lovely;muscles" blends the mechanical with the sensual, creating a complex image that suggests both the vitality and the beauty of the body in motion.

The line "sinke x p i r i n g S / uddenl Y totouch / the curvedship of / . . . .klss her:hands" is fragmented and visually broken up, reflecting the sudden, breath-catching moments of touch and connection. The "curvedship" suggests a metaphor for the body or a part of it, perhaps the curve of the hands or the body as a whole, and the idea of "klss her:hands" emphasizes the delicacy and intimacy of the action.

The poem then shifts to describe the beloved's presence and influence on the speaker: "Herwill / play on,mE as / dea d tunes OR s-cra p-y lea Ves flut te rin g / from Hideous trees or / Maybe Mandolins." Here, the speaker acknowledges that the beloved's will can play on him like music, whether "dead tunes" or the more discordant "scrapy leaves fluttering from Hideous trees." The reference to "Maybe Mandolins" introduces a musical element, suggesting that the experience of love can be melodic and harmonious, but also unpredictable and fragmented.

The poem's imagery becomes more chaotic with "lookpigeons / fly ingand / whee(:are,SpRiN,k,LiNg an in-stant with sunLight / the n)ling / all go BlacK wh-eel-ing." This section captures the sudden, fleeting moments of beauty and brightness, represented by pigeons sparkling in sunlight before everything turns "BlacK" and starts "wh-eel-ing." The erratic punctuation and capitalization reflect the unpredictability and intensity of these moments, as well as the swirling emotions they evoke.

The final lines of the poem, "oh / ver / street / where / mYveRylitTle / you will come, / attwi Ii ght / s(oon & there's / a moo," bring the reader back to a sense of anticipation and expectation. The beloved, referred to as "mYveRylitTle," is expected to come at twilight, a time often associated with romance and mystery. The fragmented and playful use of typography in "attwi Ii ght / s(oon & there's / a moo" suggests both the tender anticipation of the beloved's arrival and the sense of an ongoing, unfinished experience, with "a moo" possibly alluding to the moon, a traditional symbol of love and night.

In "&: Seven Poems: 1," Cummings uses his innovative approach to language and form to convey the complexities of love and physical connection. The poem's structure reflects the fragmented and dynamic nature of these experiences, while its vivid imagery captures the intensity and unpredictability of intimacy. Through this experimental and evocative style, Cummings invites readers to experience the poem not just as a narrative, but as an immersive sensory and emotional journey.

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