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Analysis and comments on l(a by e.e. cummings

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Comment 6 of 26, added on May 15th, 2005 at 8:16 AM.

e.e. cummings is a romantic at heart. He uses very often romantic imagery
and symbolism. Here is the leaf that symbolizes life, and death when it is
floating down.

It reminds me of Rielkes "But there is one who gently keeps this fall into
his hand"


It is graphic poem and an open one.
If we interpret the opening either as "The one" or as "I", then the poem is
about the unique and personal experience of life and death :
oneliness/loneliness.

liana pehrsson-berindei from Denmark
Comment 5 of 26, added on May 4th, 2005 at 8:38 PM.

i think the poem is a good one, although there is a lot of contoversy over
the first character... is it a number one or the letter l? Because each one
would change the meaning of this poem drastically, which would result in
many correct and wrong interpretations of the poem.

bleh from Canada
Comment 4 of 26, added on April 16th, 2005 at 9:06 PM.

I think it's about the lonliness of separation, possibly even death. When a
leaf falls from a tree, it makes its solitary journey alone, away from all
friends and family (supposing he's friends with other leaves, hehe..).
Ultimately, it is the end of life as he knew it... The lonliness of it
all...?

psyopsyche from Philippines
Comment 3 of 26, added on February 10th, 2005 at 3:30 PM.

e.e. cummings is rivaled only by T.S. Eliot as my favorite poet. This, in
my opinion, is the most perfect of his poems. All of the elements of form
support one thesis. The first line, "1(a" consists of two expressions of
singularity (the numeral one and the letter a). Inside the parentheses is
a picture of loneliness--"a leaf falls". Outside the parentheses: "1"
(numeral 1), "one", "1", "iness" (lower case "I" ness). As laid out on the
page, the text can be seen as the path of a leaf as it falls. It can also
be seen as a picture of a tree trunk. Or, and I like this one best, all of
the individual characters in the poem combine to make a picture of the
numeral 1—the all in one. The entire poem is a perfect statement of
solitude and personal insignificance, but collective oneness.
Jane


Jane from United States
Comment 2 of 26, added on November 28th, 2004 at 9:52 AM.

A poem about a leaf and the way it falls

Aiden from United States
Comment 1 of 26, added on September 27th, 2004 at 11:09 AM.

oh, cummings.. his representational quality is amazing. this poem
represents a solitary leaf falling. The bottom is the longest because its
the leaf completely flat on the ground. Also, although the first letter is
an "L", it looks like a #1... this is to show that when your #1 and your at
the top, its lonely... hmm, i guess thats about it

yan from United States

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Information about l(a

Poet: e.e. cummings
Poem: l(a
Added: Jan 31 2004
Viewed: 48695 times


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