28 March 2013

Poetry Thursday - may i feel said he by e.e. cummings

may i feel said he

may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she

(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she

(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)

may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she

may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she

but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she

(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she

(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you're divine! said he
(you are Mine said she)


e e cummings, he of the the omnipresent lower-case and eccentric grammar and punctuation, wrote about 2,900 poems, many of them sonnets. Born in 1894, he wrote poetry daily from the age of 8, and after going to Harvard he worked for a book dealer. Having spent time in Paris while waiting the join the Ambulance Corps in 1917, he returned there for longer periods later, and also visited Russia in 1931. He was thrice-married, the first two times rather briefly. He died in 1962 and is buried in Boston.

Whether to capitalise his name has bedevilled editors. Certainly he used capital letters in his signature.

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