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The poem is a satirical description of a small-minded American town where the people never exert
themselves, regarding their lives negatively. The poet views it from the vantage point of an anonymous
person named "anyone" who muddles along but in a positive frame of mind yet the townspeople dislike
him, all except for the innocent children - but they too eventually grow up and become narrowminded
adults.
ABOUT THE POET
ee cummings - his real name was Edward Estlin Cummings - was born in Massachusetts in 1894. His
father was a professor of Sociology and Political Science at Harvard University but would later become
a Unitarian minister.
Cummings was himself a Harvard graduate, obtaining a Masters degree in English and Classical Studies
in 1916. His intelligence and novel way of thinking, however, caused him to be ostracised and so he found
solace in his poetry.
Although he is known for his flamboyant style of writing, he also published a couple of novels and four
plays - and was an artist who excelled in both drawing and painting.
Cummings's way of thinking was often transcendental, i.e. he believed it possible to reach an ideal spiritual
state by use of intuition rather than through established religious beliefs. Indeed, he reveals this concept
in "i thank You God for most this amazing".
His poetry was shaped by romantic tradition - for example, he wrote many sonnets - but he is best
known for his idiosyncratic style in which he used little punctuation, often wrote in the lowercase and
jumbled up the order of words.
It has been said that his poetry often makes little sense until it is read aloud. On the other hand, several
of his poems reveal his artistic flair in that they are pictures painted in words, e.g. "r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r".
He was also known for his satire when addressing social issues, e.g. "anyone lived in a pretty how town".
Nevertheless, he had a strong bias towards the exuberance of love, sex and spiritual rebirth.
Cummings died of a stroke on 3 September 1962. He was then 68 years of age. He had won many
awards for his work.
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
Some general questions:
Why are "anyone" and "noone" each written as a single word? (4)
[Need help?]
"anyone" and "noone" represent two different but anonymous people. The words are therefore proper
nouns. Perhaps you could try this out: throughout the poem, replace the word "anyone" with the name
"Henry" and "noone" with "Mary". Now read the poem again. It makes a difference, doesn't it?
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What is the purpose of repeating the words "spring summer autumn winter" and "sun moon stars rain"
three times each? (4)
[Need help?]
The repetition of the words is meant to convey the passage of time and the passing of the seasons. In
other words, the poem is not set on a single day but encompasses a lifetime and more of the town's life.
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Comment on the repetition of the words "up" and "down" in this poem. (4)
[Need help?]
The repetition of the words could be to show the emotional cycle of the town, as well as the cycle of
fortune. People are forever either up or down, happy or sad, wealthy or poor. It happens over and over
in the town.
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Contrast the women and men with the children in the life of this town. (4)
[Need help?]
The men and the women represent all the adults of the town who are generally negative people. The
children, on the other hand, echo the New Testament concept of children: innocent and having a positive
outlook on life. In time, however, the children must grow up and become adults and, when they do, they
lose their innocence to become part of the general negative adult world.
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"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"
- Rewrite in your own words, "anyone lived in a pretty how town". (4)
[Need help?]
What about, "The person called Anyone lived in a pretty town. How pretty? Well read the rest of the poem
and you will find out." Or "The poet lived year by year in an ordinary town".
On the other hand, we speak of a "farming town" (a town in a farming area) or a "cattle town" (a town in
a cattle producing area). What then would a "how town" be? One where the people keep asking the
question, "How?" In other words, an education town, a university town?
In that case, would the poet be making fun of the narrow-mindedness of teachers and university
academics - making fun of the so-called intelligent people?
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- What is the purpose of the words in parenthesis: "(with up so floating many bells down)"? Why are
they written in parenthesis? (4)
[Need help?]
First, PARENTHESIS is used to indicate additional information which is not absolutely essential to the
meaning of the poem.
In this stanza, the poet is telling us something about "anyone" but he also makes a passing comment
about the rest of the people so that we will understand "anyone's" nature when we compare him to all the
other residents of the town.
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- What does this parenthesis tell us about the people of the town? (4)
[Need help?]
The people of the town live up and down lives, the same as all of us. The many floating bells tell us that
life was generally positive ("with up so floating many bells") because bells are usually used to celebrate
happiness.
The poet, however, places his emphasis on the final preposition "down" ("many bells down"). In other
words, although there is much to be excited about, the townspeople are usually emotionally down. They
are usually negative about everything.
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- How would you describe the person "anyone"? (4)
[Need help?]
Unlike the rest of the townspeople, Anyone is usually positive and happy. When things are going badly
for him, he nevertheless still sings ("he sang his didn't"). But when things go well for him, then he dances
("he danced his did"). He is a person with a very positive nature.
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- Why is he known simply as "anyone"? (4)
[Need help?]
The leading character in this poem is meant to remain anonymous. He represents anyone who is like this.
The poet's preference in not using the upper case, however, leads to ambiguity. Is the person's name
"Anyone" or is the poet talking about any person generally? Or both?
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- The poet refers to the four seasons here: "spring summer autumn winter". Later he will do it again
- twice more, in fact - but the order will be different. Why? (4)
[Need help?]
Mention of the four seasons is meant to indicate the passing of time. By this means, the poet can speak
about the town as it is now but also as it will be in the future, with the passage of time. In other words, he
is making a comment about society in general, both now and always.
His changing the order of the seasons is to emphasise this change. They are the same four seasons but
something changes each time. The seasons are always different with the passing of time.
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