C is for Cool...and Cummings, and that's without any Controversy over Capitals

Cummings, Edward Estlin (1894-1962)

E.E. Cummings was an American poet, though that was not all he was.  His is a prominent voice in modern English literature, and he is also remembered for the quirky way he had of not using capitals. Though the idea that he always signed his name in lower case is not true. I have many favourites among his poetry, but today I am responding to just one : as freedom is a breakfastfood 

Because love’s a mammoth twisted pretzel

and freedom’s cooked, but way too rare

too much sand and grit in the lentils

and cleaning’s not an option, prepare

to forget notions of lint-free lunches

and carefree consumed as breakfastfood

body fluids soaked up by sponges

here, and the whine of endless feud.

I was led to Cummings in a roundabout way.  In 'Love Story' which is my generation's The Fault in Our Stars, the heroine, Jennifer, writes without capitals, and the protagonist, Oliver, and she have just met, and he is defensive about his background.  And he thinks on spotting her notes and unusual handwriting - 'who does she think she is? e.e.cummings?' So I went in search of Cummings and that was that.  

Many great poets to choose from in C - Cavafy, Cohen, Coleridge, Collins, the list goes on! Any of them a favourite of yours?


C is also for Calm, and Catastrophic and Cataclysmic and Clean.  Yesterday, Calm is what I was not!  A Cataclysmic sandstorm happened over here, and we were Caught out in it.  Hubs drove us back in pathetic visibility, got home to find the wind had worked a loosely latched window open and entire place was flooded with sand. Catastrophic doesn't begin to describe it. Clean seemed Centuries away! Calmed down with Cummings, no better way than poetry!!


You need to be Careful with windows in the desert, open is not always good. Sometimes, things are better Closed. Depending on the Circs..

C is also for Comments which Creates a lot of heat and dust here in Blogland :) How to get more, how many are enough, how one should respond, whether one should respond on one's own blog or comment over at the visitors' blogs etc. etc, I just wanted to say my response will be to visit yours.

Okay, enough said.  I'm getting out of here. Off to read.  See you round the traCk!

Posted for the A-Z Challenge 2015