Wilkins

Edward Cummings "ee cummings"

 October 14, 1894 – September 3, 1962  

E dward Estlin Cummings commonly known as ee cummings is a famous modern American poet. Cummings is known for creating his own style and is especially noted for using lower case letters. Despite his unique style his poems are considered normal for his time period. In general his poems are mostly about love and nature and he expresses these topics through description and also using satire. Throughout his lifetime he wrote over 2,900 poems which are widely read today. Cummings work was affected through numerous events in his lifetime, including his father’s death in a car accident and also his three different marriages.



Buffalo Bill 

//Buffalo Bill's defunct who used to ride a watersmooth-silver// //stallion and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat Jesus he was a handsome man and what i want to know is how do you like your blueeyed boy Mister Death//

====This is a poem written about a famous American cowboy named William Cody. The poem is in the tone of a wild west gentleman. EE Cummings writes about how impressed and in awe he is in of the wild western gentleman. He is a state of awe seeing that the cowboy can kill the wild buffalos with such ease and grace. Another part of the poem that stands out is the second line when Cummings uses the word “defunct.” Cummings could have used the word dead but he uses a word that means outdated or useless. The use of this word means that since the cowboy is no longer with us his work in the wildwest no longer exists because the buffalos still roam. It is also shocking that Cummings compares the cowboy to Jesus. He compares the two characters through murder. He states the cowboy is killing the buffalos for fun or to gain a higher spot in society. Similarly, Jesus was killed by his people so that they could be ranked higher or viewed as better people in society. Cummings uses a sense of humor in this poem and almost makes fun of the cowboy for being so great just for killing buffalos. In the end the cowboys life was taken by death itself. One thing that makes Cumming’s work stand out especially in his poem Buffalo Bill’s is the use of irregular English language. As a modern poet Cumming’s uses his own rules for style of writing which create a sense of curiosity in the reader. In this particular poem Cumming’s does not use any punctuation and also uses improper capitalization for words such as I. he also combines words together to make the look continuous. The odd writing style helps to make Cumming’s stand out as a top modern poet and helps to catch the reader’s eye.====

Thy fingers make early flowers of

//Thy fingers make early flowers of all things. thy hair mostly the hours love: a smoothness which sings, saying (though love be a day) do not fear, we will go amaying.// //thy whitest feet crisply are straying. Always thy moist eyes are at kisses playing, whose strangeness much says; singing// //(though love be a day) for which girl art thou flowers bringing?// //To be thy lips is a sweet thing and small. Death, Thee i call rich beyond wishing if this thou catch, else missing. (though love be a day and life be nothing,it shall not stop kissing).//

====This love poem shows that love is not strengthened by love itself instead it is strengthen by the coming of death. Everyone in love knows that at some point it is going to be ended through death and there is nothing they can do to stop this. The first two lines show that you must love everything before death comes or else you will regret. Fingers touching are tangible and can only be taken away through death. This also relates to the early flowers by saying that love is part of beauty which can last forever through remembering. One can always remember the pretty flowers especially the first ones to bloom and this is a reoccurring event, however, touching fingers can be stopped at any moment through death. Cummings also relates nature to the theme of love. Love and nature can relate on many different levels. They both come and go and are taken away by death. Love and nature both take time to develop and grow and one must be careful of how it is treated or else it can be taken away in an instant. My favorite line in the poem is “thy moist eyes are at kisses playing,” because this is so true in real life. When you are looking straight into the eyes of someone you love you can see a spark in the eye that is irreplaceable. These “loving” eyes are better than any kiss could ever be. The purpose of this poem is to show that love is not always intangible but is also tangible. Love is strengthening through touch, kissing and even just looking into the others eyes. This poem relates to the modern time period because it is literal and states the facts of love without being too ambiguous. Cummings gives details about the love by giving examples of the fingers, eyes and lips.====

James Langston Hughes  February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967

 James Langston Hughes is an African American poet who is most famous for writing during the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes had a talent for writing since a young age and over time developed a new style called jazz poetry, which is the combination of rhythm and also some hip hop into poems. Hughes father and brother were both strong abolitionists and this can be seen in his poetry. Hughes lived during a rough time in America when blacks were not appreciated. He wanted equality for all and this was seen in his poetry which is the reason why it was published across the nation.

Democracy // Democracy will not come Today, this year Nor ever Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right As the other fellow has To stand On my two feet And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course. Tomorrow is another day. I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

Freedom Is a strong seed Planted In a great need.

I live here, too. I want freedom Just as you. //

====Hughes expresses his fight for equality in his poem Democracy. The first stanza shows that democracy does not exist in America and despite them saying it does exist, it has not yet come. Hughes is trying to say that his entire lifetime people have been saying that we live in a democratic America; however, America is far from democratic. Also throughout the lifetime Hughes has not seen changes toward democracy especially when it comes to giving African American’s more freedom and equality to whites. The second stanza is stating that even though he is black he is still worthy of owning land and completing the same daily tasks as whites. In several of Hughes poems and especially in Democracy, he expresses his feelings that African Americans should not have to wait any longer to have their freedom. He urges them to get up today and start fighting for equality; he does not believe that blacks should be treated any different than whites. This poem also shows the negative view Hughes has on democracy and believes it is not the same democracy that America advertises. Hughes lived during the early 1900s when democracy was the ruling government of the United States, however, it did not feel to him or any blacks that freedom of expression of equality was fairly played. Hughes also states, “I tire so of hearing people say, Let things take their course. Tomorrow is another day,” he wants freedom now because waiting his entire lifetime has not made any thing better. He is stating that waiting for tomorrow is not changing today’s society and the only thing that will change today’s society is when someone stands up for what they believe. When people stand up for what they believe today it will make a huge impact in tomorrow.====

Emily Dickinson December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">Emily Dickinson was born in Massachusetts to a wealthy and well known family. Much of Dickinson’s life in details is unknown as well as her personal thoughts and actions. She lived most of her life in seclusion. She was known for wearing a long straight white dress and spending days locked in her bed room. In some poems she writes of nature particularly flowers, this does not relate to her life secluded in a bedroom. Some other themes that are evident in most of her poems are death and Jesus Christ. She died a lonely person and left thousands of poems in her room that were only discovered after her death.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I'm Nobody! Who are you? // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Are you – Nobody – too? // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Then there's a pair of us? // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Don't tell! they'd advertise – you know! // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">How dreary – to be – Somebody! // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">How public – like a Frog – // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">To tell one's name – the livelong June – // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//To an admiring Bog!//
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">260 (288) **

====media type="youtube" key="vQQ7NvMCf5U" height="344" width="425" align="left"This poem shows the basis of Dickinson’s life and shows to the reader that she preferred to be a nobody. He poem shows that being a nobody did not affect her in fact it made her happy because she did not have any worries. Reading her other poems she shows that society can sometimes cause people to alter who they really are and this can lead to conflict. In this poem Dickinson says, “Dont tell! They’d advertise – you know!” She is saying that being a nobody should be a kept secret and to live humbly. She is also criticizing other people by stating that even if you claim you are a nobody and live your life in solitude if you publish your lifestyle than everyone will talk and you will not be a nobody anymore. She also says that being a somebody is dreary, which shows that sometimes when you are a somebody you follow other people. When people are not individuals they follow society and conform to other people. When you are following other people it makes life boring because every one is the same and no one stands out and is different. She then compares the somebody’s to frogs and points out their similarities. She states that frogs are all similar and they speak to society all the same and always advertising their name and location. When a frog croaks it is telling others where they are similar to somebody’s because they always want to be around people so they can follow them and conform to society. Dickinson is trying to point out that if people want to be an individual and standout in life than what they really need to do is not to stand out. People who are alone and rely on themselves are the most successful because they do not depend on others.====

//<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">409 //

//The Soul selects her own Society— Then—shuts the Door—media type="youtube" key="3Tlgo0_vXNk" height="344" width="425" align="right" To her divine Majority— Present no more—

Unmoved—she notes the Chariots—pausing— At her low Gate— Unmoved—an Emperor be kneeling Upon her Mat—

I've known her—from an ample nation— Choose One— Then—close the Valves of her attention— Like Stone—//

====Dickinson’s poem 409 is written in an ominous tone making the reader feel almost uneasy. She states that the soul or a person should only choose a few people to enter into their soul. When a person enters into another soul they become one, they know the details about the person, they know what makes them happy, sad, and mad. Dickinson is warning the reader to be selective about picking close friends and letting them see your should because if you have to many it will deteriorate you and eventually you will be left with nothings. Dickinson states in the first stanza that the soul selects her own society then will shut herself away from the rest of society. She is trying to state to be selective in picking people to one’s soul. The second stanza states that chariots and emperors are waiting to arrive at the soul and wanting a piece of the soul. Dickinson says no as she will only choose one to her soul. Even though it is an emperor or an extravagant chariot only one or neither will be allowed passage to her soul. It does not make a difference how nice or who or what is trying to get the key to the soul because if too many are accepted it will ruin the person. This poem really shows Dickinson’s emotions as it makes the reader feel threatened or worried about who they have let into their soul. Dickinson speaks sternly to the reader with great knowledge of what she is saying and gives a warning to not make a mistake because it could ruin life. Dickinson also uses imagery in this poem and gives several details including the chariot and the emperor. Giving these details helps the reader to get a more vivid picture in their head and actually see what is going on in real life.====