if everything happens that can't be done

This is my analysis (rough)

e.e. cummings
“if everything happens that happens that can’t be done” suggests a love that is
greater than that which can be described and is at a higher level than books
refer to (or the love that is said to be possible), and suggests both the
existence and power of it.
Throughout the poem it seems because the clauses are broken up with the
statements in parenthesis it will be easiest to change the two sides
(parenthesis statements and the rest of the verse) into two voices because the
parenthesis voice has an optimistic feel I will refer to it in that manner. The
other voice will be the narrative voice.
In the first stanza the narrative voice claims that “the stupidest teacher will
almost guess
there’s nothing as something as one.” So first of all the
narrator is stating that most everyone know that an individual has an extreme
amount of potential. The optimist states, in the same stanza, that, “(with a run
skip around we go yes)” This gives an impression of love and particularly young
love. In the fourth stanza even the narrative voice states, in a less artistic
sense, “now i love you and you love me” This indicates not only that that it is
a love poem but also that there is a level of conflict between the lovers (and
their love) and society’s knowledge of love’s boundries and downfalls, and
because their love is, “righter than books could plan” they are set to defeat
the standard set for love.
In the second stanza the narrative voice decribes the conflict while the
optimist tells of their love growing. The narrative voice says, “one hasn't a
why or because or although” these are all words used in conflict of
communication. Society knows that two people have to discuss in order understand
the thoughts of the counterpart; however one must only understand for
themselves. “(and buds know better than books don't grow)” indicates as one must
throw out the idea that “buds” are not buddies, but instead are buds in the
sense of a rose bud or the bud of a bush or tree. We receive this indication
later when the narrative and optimist voice speak of nature and nature’s beauty.
“Books don’t grow” but relationships are ever-changing and hopefully
ever-progressing. And if two buds, or two lovers, “know” than they “know better
than books. The two are able of a higher standard than the standards of love
society has set. Buds is a strong choice of words not only because it shows
nature in beauty but also a bud is full of possibility, for when it blooms only
then can one describe the beauty it is capable of. The optimist is not only more
sure of their love, more artistic but also more of a rebel to the standards. The
optimist says that buds know better than books and describes them as buds,
believing in something greater than they are already.
The next line in stanza two the narrative voice makes a shift not only in tone
but also in confidence of their love. The narrative voice states, “one's
anything old being everything new” this puts an emphasis on the idea that
naturally when two people learn about each other and are truly in love the
“one’s anything” is “old” but now becomes new because the other learns it. Also
the things that one once did, and has become old, now become new as it is
redone. For instance two “buds” have both probably gone ice-skating on their own
but now that they are together it must be redone, and it is a new experience
because they are together.

This is one of a handful of poems with a religious theme that place cummings among the sublime poets. Yes, it is about love and it also is about the God Who is Love. The very first line places it in the realm of mystery, a reaching out to the power that is above and beyond--and yet, within and between. What better metaphor for the sheer joy of discovering Love than that of children bursting from the schoolhouse into the wonderful freedom of recess? It is carefully crafted, with the first part of each stanza straining against the "books" that tell us what we must do and know, and the second half bursting with the joy of freedom, the discovery of who we really are. I have been known to go on and on--but go find all this for yourself.