Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sonnets - Unrealities: 2" by E.E. Cummings is a powerful and enigmatic exploration of the divine, nature, and the profound forces that govern existence. The sonnet challenges traditional notions of divinity by presenting God not as a distant, omnipotent figure, but as an entity deeply intertwined with the primal and chaotic forces of nature. Through striking imagery and innovative language, Cummings delves into themes of power, creation, destruction, and the interplay between the sacred and the profane.

The poem opens with a bold and somewhat startling image: "god gloats upon Her stunning flesh." Here, Cummings personifies the sea as a feminine entity, referred to as "Her," while simultaneously referring to God in the masculine form. The use of "gloats" suggests a kind of perverse satisfaction or pleasure that God takes in observing the sea's "stunning flesh." This depiction subverts the traditional view of God as a benevolent, dispassionate creator, instead portraying Him as someone who is deeply engaged with the physical and sensual aspects of the world.

The sea is described as having a "green body" that reaches "among unseen things, things obscene," implying that it interacts with forces or entities that are hidden, mysterious, and possibly taboo. The phrase "Whose fingers young the caving ages curiously con" suggests that these forces are ancient and have been shaped by time, yet they remain curious and active, exploring the depths of the sea.

Cummings then describes "the lunge of Her hunger softly flung / over the gasping shores," an image that conveys both the power and the subtlety of the sea. The sea's "hunger" is a primal force that exerts itself over the land, yet it is also described as being "softly flung," indicating a paradoxical combination of gentleness and ferocity. This action leaves God's "smile wan," suggesting that even God is subdued or diminished by the overwhelming power of the sea. His "blood stopped" and he listens, perhaps in awe or fear, to the "shovings and the lovings of Her tongue," further emphasizing the sea's dominance and its capacity to evoke deep emotional responses.

The poem then presents a profound statement: "god Is The Sea." This declaration blurs the line between creator and creation, suggesting that the divine is not separate from the natural world but is instead embodied within it. The sea, with all its terror and majesty, is both God and the manifestation of God's power. The phrase "All terrors of his being / quake before this its hideous Work most old" implies that even God is afraid of the ancient and chaotic forces that the sea represents. The sea's "battening gesture" is a destructive act that hints at the release of "ghostly chaos," a force that threatens to unravel the order of the universe.

Cummings further intensifies the imagery by describing this scene as occurring "in this dangerous night," a time of uncertainty and fear. The night, often associated with the unknown, becomes the backdrop for this cosmic struggle between order and chaos. As the poem reaches its climax, Cummings presents a paradoxical image: "god worships God." This line suggests a moment of self-reflection or self-reverence, where the divine acknowledges its own power and the awe-inspiring forces it has unleashed.

The final couplet brings the poem to a dramatic conclusion: "behold! / where chaste stars writhe captured in brightening fright." The "chaste stars," symbols of purity and order, are described as "writhing" in fear as they are caught in the unfolding chaos. The word "brightening" suggests that this chaos is not merely destructive but also revelatory, shedding light on the deeper, more terrifying aspects of existence.

"Sonnets - Unrealities: 2" is a complex and richly symbolic meditation on the nature of divinity and the primal forces that shape the universe. Through his use of vivid and often unsettling imagery, Cummings challenges traditional notions of God and the natural world, presenting them as intertwined and mutually dependent. The poem explores the tension between creation and destruction, order and chaos, and the ways in which the divine is both a participant in and a witness to these forces. By blurring the boundaries between God and the sea, Cummings invites the reader to reconsider the relationship between the sacred and the profane, and to confront the awe-inspiring, sometimes terrifying power that underlies existence.

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