somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond by e. e. cummings, is one of my “Top Ten” favorite poems. I was introduced to it through Hannah and Her Sisters; a movie by Woodie Allen.
Initial Perception
When I first heard this poem while watching the movie Hannah and Her Sisters, it evoked an elusive perception of that love that comes from our deepest and most primitive desires. A kind of wild love where all forms of propriety are abandoned and words have no place. That kind of selfish love where just meaningless inarticulate moans and sighs flow from the depths of the inner-body, like honey on a warm summer’s day, producing a moment of penetrating joy, only to subside just as quickly. Leaving only a conquered, spent, and silent shell of empty feelings.
Subsequent Perception
However, after reading and analyzing the poem more carefully, I subsequently perceived through Cummings’ juxtaposition that the conceptualization of love’s fragility and delicate femininity could precipitate incredible power and influence. Also, I feel this poem exemplifies the intense search for just the right words to represent the absolute love of a woman, by some man, coupled with the sublime personification of nature.
In conclusion, I was going to analyze it more extensively myself. However, after researching Cummings and other numerous analyses of this poem from the Internet, I decided that others had dissected it in greater scope–and more poignantly–than I was willing to spend the time to do.
For copyright law purposes, I have provided a link to the poem and embedded a YouTube video; with Cummings reading his poem. Finally, I have also provided links to individuals whom I feel best captured the essence of this poem’s meaning in their analysis.
Poem
somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
ee cummings reads "somewhere I have never travelled..."
Analysis and Resource Links:
Works Cited
Images – Post image: Pilar Pedrosa Pilar. Digital Image. Pilar Pedrosa Pilar (Pilar Pedrosa Pilar) / Not Copyrighted. Web 1 November 2013. http://pilarpedrosapilar.tumblr.com/post/402789975/and-because-my-body-is-an-anthology-somewhere-i.
Video – ee cummings reads “Somewhere I have never travelled…”. (2010, May 18). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWcuGo0rEFo.
