Reviews for Selected Poems

The average rating for Selected Poems based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-05-08 00:00:00 Peter Crossman "since feeling is first who pays any attention to the syntax of things will never wholly kiss you;" It's a stroke of luck that this is the first E.E. Cummings book I'd get my hands on, seeing as it contains small introductions by Richard S. Kennedy. Without those introductions I would have been lost. Honestly. As much as I have relished and soaked myself in Cummings' poetry, I could as easily have drowned and never been found. I am thankful I didn't. There are some of his poems I simply don't get, and some it took me very long to decipher. To the untrained eye some of what he writes is absolute gibberish. And some I'm not sure I'll ever train my eye well enough to make sense of, which is why I'm only giving this otherwise amazing book 4 stars. I don't really dig having my poetry-readings resemble a National Treasure movie. BUT, when I get E.E. Cummings (sometimes more easily than others) I love him, and I think his style and his insights are works of genius. I am particularly in love with how he uses the words themselves and these incredible grammatical distortions as living things - not just tools, to make his stories and sentences come to life. The words - even devoid of meaning - tell a story. Every comma, and parenthesis, tells a story. It also struck me how his writing reminded me, in places, of my own. Especially when it comes to using parenthesis'. I fucking love a good parenthesis. It is the one grammatical device I am emotionally attached to (it has a very special meaning for me). And the way it is used by Cummings is heavenly. So I recommend this book. The style is singular and perhaps you won't like it or understand anything at first, but I beg you to keep going - embrace it - keep your head above the water and swim like hell, you will reach land and it will be worth it. He had an extraordinary mind and a way with words I am inadvertently taken with. Here, have a few examples, and be convinced!: "pity this busy monster,manunkind, not" (manunkind is the most magnificent play on words) or "nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands" a favourite line of mine, I love the idea of the rain having small hands - perhaps then getting soaked is an embrace? These don't even begin to touch the variety or beauty and wit of the poems in this book - there's a very wide selection, both in themes and in style, so if you feel you want to get to know E.E. Cummings (a pursuit I can only recommend) this is a good place to start.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-01-28 00:00:00 Richard Cullins "I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance" I have always been a little intimidated by E. E. Cummings' poetry. Just one look at one of his futuristic experiments with syntax and punctuation was more than enough to convince me that he was too difficult for me to read. But as it turned out it was silly of me to give up on him. I just needed the right guidance to his authorship which this edition happily provided me with. Though I can't claim to understand all of his poems, I have attained a greater and deeper understanding of his writing and themes. Of course some of the poems can only be defined as cryptic; almost equal to the riddles of the Sphinx, and therefore require a tremendous effort and several careful re-readings. But the thing is, when you finally do understand his use of words, parentheses and fragments, you will be completely overwhelmed by the shining, shimmering and bright magnificence of his writing. "time is a tree (this life one leaf) but love is the sky and i am for you just so long and long enough" I have been teary-eyed, breathless and left in a deep trance as I read through these pages. I have been frustrated and puzzled, but in the end I mostly felt grateful. Grateful that I made the effort and took the time to let the words speak for themselves. 'Cause they really do have a lot to say. Cummings had a peculiar way with words and even punctuation. There is not one letter or even a single comma that doesn't have a significant meaning. Even the use of 'i' instead of 'I' holds a great purpose. And also, I would like to add that E. E. Cummings probably wrote some of the most beautiful love poems of all-time. Soft and delicate with a sincere tone of wholeness. Just read 'somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond" and you'll see. I believe that poem is capable of melting any heart.