Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sonnets - Actualities: 2" by E.E. Cummings is a rich and layered exploration of love as a creative and protective force. In this sonnet, Cummings uses the metaphor of construction to express the ways in which love can simultaneously build something beautiful and strong around the beloved, while also being delicate and vulnerable. The poem delves into the paradoxes inherent in love—its strength and fragility, its capacity to protect and yet be vulnerable to time and death.

The poem begins with the declarative statement, "my love is building a building / around you," immediately establishing the metaphor of construction. The "building" symbolizes the efforts of the speaker to create a protective, encompassing structure around the beloved, which serves as both a sanctuary and a testament to their love. The adjectives used to describe this building—"frail slippery / house, a strong fragile house"—emphasize the paradoxical nature of love. It is both "frail" and "strong," "slippery" and "fragile," highlighting the tension between the solidity of the emotion and the delicate, transient nature of the relationship.

The construction begins "at the singular beginning / of your smile," indicating that this entire edifice of love is inspired and anchored by the beloved's smile. The smile is depicted as the origin point of the speaker's affection, a source of joy and inspiration that motivates the act of building. This smile is further described as having "reckless magic," suggesting an enchanting, almost dangerous allure that captivates the speaker.

The house being built is also described as "a skilful uncouth / prison, a precise clumsy / prison," which introduces another layer of complexity. The idea of love as a "prison" reflects the notion that love, while beautiful and transformative, can also be confining and possessive. The paradox of being both "skilful" and "uncouth," "precise" and "clumsy," captures the imperfect nature of love—how it is both an art and a struggle, something that requires care and yet can never be perfect.

As the poem progresses, the speaker acknowledges that this building, this "tower of magic," is both a labor of love and an act of faith. The use of "discrete" to describe the tower suggests that it is carefully crafted and intentional, built piece by piece with attention to detail. Yet, there is an underlying uncertainty in the phrase "as i guess," indicating that despite all the speaker's efforts, the outcome is still uncertain, and love remains unpredictable.

The introduction of "Farmer Death(whom fairies hate)" shifts the poem's tone, bringing in the inevitable specter of mortality. "Farmer Death" is personified as a figure who eventually comes to "crumble the mouth-flower fleet," a reference to the beloved's smile and, by extension, to the beloved herself. The fairies' hatred of Death suggests that this figure represents the end of magic, beauty, and life—the antithesis of everything the speaker's love attempts to preserve.

However, the speaker expresses hope that even when Death comes, he "He'll not my tower," implying that the structure of love built around the beloved will endure, even if the physical body does not. The "laborious, casual" nature of this tower speaks to the effort and care that has gone into it, as well as the natural, almost effortless way in which love has formed it over time. The final image of the "surrounded smile" hanging "breathless" captures the enduring power of love and memory, suggesting that even after the physical presence has faded, the essence of the beloved remains encapsulated within the protective tower of love.

"Sonnets - Actualities: 2" by E.E. Cummings is a meditation on the dual nature of love—its ability to build and protect, as well as its vulnerability to time and loss. Through his use of paradoxical language and imagery, Cummings captures the complexity of love, portraying it as both a sanctuary and a prison, something that is at once fragile and enduring. The poem ultimately suggests that love, though imperfect and vulnerable, has the power to create something lasting, even in the face of mortality.

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