by E.E.Cummings




it may not always be so; and i say



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 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

 

 


from Tulips and Chimneys (1923)

Source:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper2/modptryanthol/cummings.html





Poetry by Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 1150 times
Written on 2014-04-30 at 18:58

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Of all the 20th century american poets only cummings can be called a true lyric poet.
2014-05-24



When cummings is good, he's really good, though all the deliberate shunning of punctuation gets to be a distraction after awhile. Thanks for posting this.
2014-05-01



This is so beautiful!! Thank you for the lovely inspiration and for the perfect sonnet.
2014-04-30


Rob Graber
A brilliant Italian sonnet, and perfect for us "spirits" here at the (poet)"bay"!
2014-04-30