Monday, April 11, 2005

universally acknowledged truths

There are some works that can only be read at a certain time of the year. The Brontes, for instance, are best read in early November. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as well as The Dark is Rising, should only be read at Christmas. And it is impossible to concieve of reading Persuasion in any other month than September. Of course it doesn't hold true for everything; Northanger Abbey can be read at any time. But for me, e.e. cummings is a spring poet.

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;

wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world

my blood approves,
and kisses are a better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry
- the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids' flutter which says

we are for each other; then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life's not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

1 Comments:

At 8:41 PM, Blogger Andygrrl said...

Well, Persuasion just feels like an "autumn" book to me, but the rest of her stuff works all year round.

Ain't cummings great? So playful. Kisses are a better fate than wisdom, sometimes.

 

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