e.e. cummings is so modernist, it hurts. He makes part of the joy of poetry the actual way in which words are put together, to breathe sound and life into his work. I am very much a prose reader, but cumming's poetry has made me consider how much one can do just with language, laid bare

As for the substance of his poetry: I'm not sure if he's better-known for his romantic or natural poems, they made up the bulk. But my favorites were his wry (bordering on cynical, really) poems about religion and politics and society. There's a running theme that the reason and rationality of the early twentieth century were destroying the eternal truths of Beauty and Love and God. Society was becoming an "Ever-Ever Land," in cummings's estimation, where:

down with hell and heaven
and all the religious fuss
infinity pleased our parents
one inch looks good to us

Interesting stuff, very witty and really brimming with its zeitgeist. I guess his flower and love poems were okay too. ( )

The collected work of an extraordinary poet. Cummings does amazing things with language. ( )

Simply put, e.e. cummings writes poems like no one else. His use of structure and punctuation was more than revolutionary, it was unique. From the haunting lyricism of 'since feeling is first' to the inflammatory commentary of 'i sing of Olaf glad and big', cummings' poetry gets under your skin. It lingers with you like the smell of a lover on a borrowed shirt, sweet, elusive, and confounding. This particular volume gives you all of his classics, as well as myriad lesser known, though no less fantastic, works to discover. If you read *any* poetry and don't own something of cummings, go out and buy something. Anything. Now. ( )

A lyric renewal of language. ( )

I have only a little interest in poetry, but this book of poems is amazing. Many of e.e.cummings poems are cryptic cons ice mysteries, perfect to ponder for a while and unravel (o fail to unravel). ( )