This Week in Literary History: Cummings, The Pen and the Brush
 |
Graduation photo, 1911
|
For our trip into literary
history let’s give E.E Cummings, born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14th
1894, belated birthday wishes. Cummings was of course a poet, who was well
known for his experimental forms, but what he is not as well know for is his
paintings. He worked primarily in oils on many different surfaces, even burlap.
And just as he did with his poetry Cummings was willing to be open and experimental
with his art. During his life his paintings were criticized as being simple,
but in looking at his collection, which can be found here, one can see the
beauty of landscape, shape and form expressed sometimes exuberantly sometimes softly.
And while Cummings sought popularity with his poetry he did not with his
paintings, choosing instead to explore color, form and feeling without the
pressures of critics.
So in honor of Cummings
let’s take a look at some poetry, as I think he would have been excited by what
he would have read in the HFR Fall/Winter 2008-2009 issue. Begin with Dorothea
Grunzweig’s poem, translated by Derek Wynand, ”Twins Are Bound by an Invisible
Twill”:
the deadanddeadlikeness
the paired fate moves the whole
nation
for many think not only of twins
but also of siblings
loved ones parent and child
Once you’ve finished,
continue both forward and back to discover many wonderful pieces of
poetry, and of course stop for a piece of fiction or two.
Next move on to the
Paterson Literary Review, number 39, 2011-2012. Start with John Barrale’s “That
Once You Were Mine”:
and memory joking
takes the cane
and walks up the stairs
laughing
Don’t stop there. Pages upon pages of poetry and prose await your reading pleasure. And I’m
certain that you won’t be disappointed.