EE Cummings lived 1894 – 1962. He was a prolific writer of poems and also wrote some plays, essays, and novels. He was a Harvard graduate and a well-traveled man. He lived as a bohemian, but after visiting the Soviet Union in 1931, his politics became Republican. He used language in his own way, as you can see from this poem, avoiding upper case letters and punctuation (I have typed the poem accurately from my little book, 1oo Best-Loved Poems.) I would not say I love this poem. My response to it, included in Poems For Your Heart, expresses my interpretation and opinion of its meaning in the voice of a defense attorney presenting a case for “Mr. anyone”.
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did
women and men(both little and small
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain
children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more
when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
they said their nevers they slept their dream
stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)
one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was
all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep