Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sonnets - Actualities: 4" by E.E. Cummings is a sonnet that intricately weaves together religious imagery, artistic appreciation, and the adoration of the feminine form. Through a combination of vivid and sometimes unsettling imagery, Cummings explores the intersection of divine beauty and human love, suggesting that both realms share a complex and fragile relationship.

The poem begins by introducing "little accurate saints," who tread "the serene nervous light of paradise." These saints are depicted as precise, careful figures moving through an environment that is both peaceful and tense, a paradox that suggests the delicate balance within the divine realm. The "nervous light" of paradise might symbolize the ethereal, almost anxious perfection of heaven, where every movement and every being is meticulously composed.

Cummings then describes "angelfaces clustered like bright lice / about god's capable dull important head." This image is strikingly unconventional, comparing angels to "bright lice" swarming around God's head. The description of God's head as "capable dull important" suggests a figure who is powerful yet somewhat indifferent or detached. The angels, despite their brilliance, are reduced to something small and almost parasitic, which contrasts with traditional depictions of angels as exalted beings. This choice of imagery hints at the complexities and contradictions within religious iconography.

The poem continues by mentioning "god's pretty mother," an allusion to the Virgin Mary, who is often venerated as the mother of God. The glories that "whisperingly impinge" upon her are subtle and gentle, yet they do not "confuse the clever hair nor rout the young mouth whose / lips begin a smile exactly strange." Mary is portrayed as a figure of serene, almost enigmatic beauty, untouched by the divine glories that surround her. Her "exactly strange" smile suggests a mysterious, otherworldly allure that remains unaffected by the chaos or grandeur around her.

Cummings then makes a personal connection, stating, "this painter should have loved my lady." Here, the speaker expresses a belief that an artist capable of capturing the divine beauty of Mary would also appreciate the beauty of the speaker's beloved. This line bridges the gap between the divine and the earthly, suggesting that the beauty of the speaker's lady is on par with that of sacred figures.

The poem shifts focus to the physical attributes of the beloved, particularly "this throat a little suddenly lifted / in singing-hands fragile whom almost tire / the sleepshaped lilies." The throat, lifted in song, symbolizes both grace and vulnerability, while the "fragile" hands and "sleepshaped lilies" evoke delicacy and a sense of weariness. The imagery of lilies, often associated with purity and sleep, suggests that the beloved's beauty is both ephemeral and timeless.

The poem concludes with the idea that "my lady's body / with these frail ladies dangerously respire: / impeccable girls in raiment laughter-gifted." Here, the beloved is compared to "frail ladies" whose very existence is delicate, yet they are capable of "dangerously" breathing life into the divine or artistic realm. The phrase "impeccable girls in raiment laughter-gifted" evokes a sense of innocence and joy, yet there is an underlying tension in their "dangerous" fragility. The juxtaposition of "impeccable" with "dangerously respire" suggests that perfection itself is fraught with risk, as the most beautiful things are often the most vulnerable.

"Sonnets - Actualities: 4" by E.E. Cummings is a meditation on the nature of beauty, both divine and earthly, and the ways in which art and love intersect to create something transcendent yet fragile. Through his use of unconventional imagery and complex metaphors, Cummings challenges traditional notions of the sacred and the profane, suggesting that the most profound beauty lies in the tension between these two realms. The poem ultimately celebrates the delicate, dangerous, and mysterious qualities of both divine and human love, offering a vision of beauty that is both awe-inspiring and deeply personal.

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