it may not always be so; and i say - ee cummings

[cymraeg.livejournal.com]

My first post here, and a poem I love because I don't think I could achieve its generosity:

it may not always be so; and i say

that if your lips,which i have loved, should touch

another's, and your dear strong fingers clutch

his heart, as mine in time not far away;

if on another's face your sweet hair lay

in such a silence as i know, or such

great writhing words as, uttering overmuch,

stand helplessly before the spirit at bay;

 

if this should be, i say if this should be--

you of my heart, send me a little word;

that i may go unto him, and take his hands,

saying, Accept all happiness from me.

Then shall i turn my face, and hear one bird

sing terribly afar in the lost lands.

Comments

[amour-solaire.livejournal.com]

great poem. sad.

[teithiwr.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is one of my favourite cummings poems. <3

[anon-j-anon.livejournal.com]

Bjork put it to song in her Sonnets/Unrealities XI--maybe you've already heard it? If not, you can watch it here on youtube. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2pyFnGFpO8) Thanks for posting the poem.

[stillsparkling.livejournal.com]

I was going to point out the same. :-)

[jesuslovesbono.livejournal.com]

i noticed that...and i didn't know before now that that was an e.e. cummings poem! awesome

[maiden-heart.livejournal.com]

thanks for this. i love it

[wallyflower.livejournal.com]

Years later and I still know this poem by heart. Very simple and beautiful! For some reason, among E. E. Cumming's poetry (I'm still conflicted as to whether I should write "e. e. cummings"), I'm a fan of the more structured poems.