chapter 8 poems

anyone  lived  in  a  pretty  how  town

E. E. Cummings, 1894 - 1962

anyone lived in a pretty how town

(with up so floating many bells down)

spring summer autumn winter

he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

 

Women and men(both little and small)

cared for anyone not at all

they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same

sun moon stars rain

 

children guessed(but only a few

and down they forgot as up they grew

autumn winter spring summer)

that noone loved him more by more

 

when by now and tree by leaf

she laughed his joy she cried his grief

bird by snow and stir by still

anyone’s any was all to her

 

someones married their everyones

laughed their cryings and did their dance

(sleep wake hope and then)they

said their nevers they slept their dream

 

stars rain sun moon

(and only the snow can begin to explain

how children are apt to forget to remember

with up so floating many bells down)

 

one day anyone died i guess

(and noone stooped to kiss his face)

busy folk buried them side by side

little by little and was by was

 

all by all and deep by deep

and more by more they dream their sleep

noone and anyone earth by april

wish by spirit and if by yes.

 

Women and men(both dong and ding)

summer autumn winter spring

reaped their sowing and went their came

sun moon stars rain

I love this poem instead of showing reasons to rebel like a lot of people do he is showing reasons not to conform. This shows what happens if you just live your life like everyone else. Because the main person in this story is anyone it speaks to everyone and because his/her girl/boyfriend in the poem is named noone it shows everyone’s greatest hope for when they died and at the same time there greatest fear.

No one wants to die alone that is a fear that we all have on some level so by saying things like “and noone stooped to kiss his face” it shows that same fear that when we die no one will be there to care and life just goes on. At the same time it shows our greatest hope that when we die our loved ones will gather and wish us on our way but go on with their lives carrying on our legacy.

This poem says that both of these out comes are possible one from conformity and the other from rebellion but not which come from which that is something you have to decide for yourself.