2 little whos
(he and she)
under are this
wonderful tree

smiling stand
(all realms of where
and when beyond)
now and here

(far from a grown
-up i&you-
ful world of known)
who and who

(2 little ams
and over them this
aflame with dreams
incredible is)

Analysis, meaning and summary of e.e. cummings's poem 2 little whos

12 Comments

  1. reader says:

    RE: Woodsman Rafael Smith

    Isn’t that what art and poetry are supposed to do? Something so simple that plays tricks on so many people is the most profound type of art.

  2. sunflower says:

    As children we don’t know who we are. All we have is our dreams which will eventually make us into knowers of whatever we think we know when we are adults. As children the horizons and ideas of ourselves are not yet limited by the fulfilment (or not) of our dreams. As adults we have already created our identities which are displayed in our life actions. It is a splendrous time to be young and to not know who we are and to have the identities forgeable before us.

  3. Tabari says:

    Two little whos is a short yet meaning full poem. It tells the story if how who little children not unlike Hansel and Grettle. they came to the hill to receive a pale of water and came back getting hurt and not having any water at all.

  4. rachel says:

    this makes no sence at all. it is just words. at least to me.

  5. rory matt says:

    I really dont get this poem the is the and this is the am i and the is this a fat poem for the united States of Americcca

  6. Gregkliq says:

    To read a grea amount of imagery seems inane, of course their always pairs of males and females in any
    society since recorded time. The fact that is the most stiking is implication is that the the male and female who are uninitiated from the beginng to the end that is the important point.

  7. Raul says:

    This poem reminds me the biblical passage of Adam and Eve. The innocent love may be read as a pure love before the acquired experience (a sort of experience as described by William Blake) and free of any feeling of fault. A transcendental love that hovers over the flesh limitations.

  8. Fay Holbrook says:

    I wonder if this language reminds anyone else of Yoda
    of StarWars.

  9. Lane says:

    This poem reminds me of another by ee cummings whose first line is “maggie and milly and molly and may went down to the beach to play one day” or something similar and equally sweet.

  10. liana pehrsson-berindei says:

    A feeling of atemporary youth, atemporary love, before being born into the “grown up”, “the known”, the perishable.
    About the potential ecxeeding by far the reality.

    A little bit like the youths on Keats` Grecian urn.

  11. Hatsumiyo-chan says:

    This poem most deffinitely captures the innocence of children! Children are truly innocent until they’re shown into the world of corruption and egotism.

  12. Teel says:

    I think this poem captures the beauty and fullness of the innocent world of childeren, before they are exposed to the ugliness and corruption associated with adult life. This is really beautiful- I feel like I understand it a little more each time I read it…

Leave a Reply to Raul Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by e.e. cummings better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.