[57] pity this busy monster, manunkind
| pity this busy monster, manunkind |
pity this busy monster, manunkind,
not. Progress is a comfortable disease:
your victim (death and life safely beyond)
plays with the bigness of his littleness
--- electrons deify one razorblade
into a mountainrange; lenses extend
unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish
returns on its unself.
A world of made
is not a world of born --- pity poor flesh
and trees, poor stars and stones, but never this
fine specimen of hypermagical
ultraomnipotence. We doctors know
a hopeless case if --- listen: there's a hell
of a good universe next door; let's go
-- E. E. Cummings
|
[<http://www.gvsu.edu/english/cummings/caps.htm> for justification]
Cummings is by no means an easy poet to read. His poems are somewhat dense
and cryptic, and often require several readings before one can truly
appreciate them. However, they are always worth the effort, as is amply
evidenced by the poem above - one of my favourites for the sheer beauty of
its language. Note the plethora of invented compounds (something Cummings
excels at - and there's a lot more to it than sticking two randomwords
together), the almost surreal yet wonderfully nail-on-the-head phrases, and
the way the unusual formatting enhances the poem rather than annoying the
reader.
Though this is superficially similar to the Whitman poem, there is a
significant difference. The critical attitude and the somewhat sarcastic
tone do not change the fact that Cummings *has* appreciated the marvels
inherent in science and technology. This is a whole nother fallacy - not
that Science is a dull grey blanket thrown over the face of Nature, but
rather that it is a glitteringly and dangerously seductive trap into which
mankind - sorry, man*un*kind, is walking with his eyes wide open. Actually,
it's hard to call this one a fallacy - the view is widely held, and not only
by non-scientists. Needless to say, I disagree, but that's another matter -
it doesn't affect the poem's value in any way.
Biographical Notes:
Cummings, E.E.
b. Oct. 14, 1894, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.
d. Sept. 3, 1962, North Conway, N.H.
in full EDWARD ESTLIN CUMMINGS, American poet and painter who first
attracted attention, in an age of literary experimentation, for his
eccentric punctuation and phrasing. The spirit of New England dissent and
of Emersonian "Self-Reliance" underlies the urbanized Yankee colloquialism
of Cummings' verse. Cummings' name is often styled "e.e. cummings" in the
mistaken belief that the poet legally changed his name to lowercase
letters only. Cummings used capital letters only irregularly in his verse
and did not object when publishers began lowercasing his name, but he
himself capitalized his name in his signature and in the title pages of
original editions of his books.
Cummings received his B.A. degree from Harvard University in 1915 and was
awarded his M.A. in 1916. During World War I he served with an ambulance
corps in France, where he was interned for a time in a detention camp
because of his friendship with an American who had written letters home
that the French censors thought critical of the war effort. This
experience deepened Cummings' distrust of officialdom and was symbolically
recounted in his first book, The Enormous Room (1922).
In the 1920s and '30s he divided his time between Paris, where he studied
art, and New York City. His first book of verse was Tulips and Chimneys
(1923), followed by XLI Poems and & (1925); in the latter year he received
the Dial award for distinguished service to American letters.
In 1927 his play him was produced by the Provincetown Players in New York
City. During these years he exhibited his paintings and drawings, but they
failed to attract as much critical interest as his writings. Eimi (1933)
recorded, in 432 pages of experimental prose, a 36-day visit to the Soviet
Union, which confirmed his individualist repugnance for collectivism. He
published his discussions as the Charles Eliot Norton lecturer on poetry
at Harvard University (1952-53) under the title i: six nonlectures (1953).
In all he wrote 12 volumes of verse, assembled in his two-volume Complete
Poems (1968).
-- EB
Assessment:
Cummings' moods were alternately satirical and tough or tender and
whimsical. He frequently used the language of the streets and material
from burlesque and the circus. His erotic poetry and love lyrics had a
childlike candour and freshness.
-- EB
In his work, Cummings experimented radically with form, punctuation,
spelling and syntax, abandoning traditional techniques and structures to
create a new, highly idiosyncratic means of poetic expression. Later in
his career, he was often criticized for settling into his signature style
and not pressing his work towards further evolution. Nevertheless, he
attained great popularity, especially among young readers, for the
simplicity of his language, his playful mode and his attention to subjects
such as war and sex. At the time of his death in 1962, he was the second
most widely read poet in the United States, after Robert Frost.
-- The Academy of American Poets
<http://www.poets.org/lit/poet/eecumfst.htm>
...In addition, readers' enjoyment and comprehension of the poetry will be
greatly increased by a good working knowledge of Cummings' life. To an
unusual degree, Cummings attempted to inhabit the self that he depicted in
his poems.
-- Spring (The Journal of the E. E. Cummings Society)
m.
From: Coolweng8@
this poem is quite complex
From: "Cavol Forbes" <cavol@>
What the hell is this poem about, exactly?
From: "Weng Fung" <lightarian@>
I KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT! Its about technology... and the busy monster is
mankind.... mankind that keeps enhancing technology cuz he feels godly,
supreme, and the need to perfect technology("...comfortable disease...")
And about "(death and life safely beyond)"...perhaps its about
immortality being discovered by technology.
Hey, Coolweng8... My real first name is Weng!
From: "MARYANN STEWART" <mstewart545@>
Please consider these comments for your e.e. cummings page:
I have an interpretation for the e. e. cummings poem pity this busy
monster.
I believe the poem is basically saying that although scientists may
discover new things, such as cars, some other things get lost, such as
the environment. For every new thing we invent we lose something else.
The progress that we are making in technology is a vicious cycle. The
things we make, make us feel big when we are really little. The things
we make that use electricity (electrons deify.) destroy our environment.
Television (a big lense) changes things we didn't want into things that
we do want (unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish returns unto
itself.) Advertisements make people want things they never even thought
about wanting before.
"a world of made is not a world of born" means that no matter what we
make it can never replace nature. He asks us to be sensitive to natural
things instead of towards man made machines. "we doctors know a hopeless
case" means that the outcome isn't looking good and that this poem isn't
exactly going to do much about it. There's a better place next door,
nature. Let's go. You don't see many kids outside anymore. They are all
glued to the t.v. set. Lets go explore the world outside that most
people take for granted, while its still there to explore.
Catherine Stewart
Cinco Ranch High School, 9th Grade
Marsarmy6@
From: Zhu511@
i think this cummings expresses his fellings about how he thinks that it's so
not fair to nature because of all the things human done that has destroyed
the ecosystem and stuff. He's maybe confessing the sins of man or something.
That's what i think anyways.
South Woods M.S. NY
From: "David Allenspach" <dallenspach0845@>
I disagree with Maryann, the poem reflects on the anthropocentricism
that is manifest in human relationship to science. "[M]anunkind" then
is Cummings satirical reference to the ironic nomenclature designed by
humans for humans. "Progress is a comfortable disease," alludes to the
seemingly parasitic or strong memetic nature of progress. Death and
life are safely beyond because of this disease, death never is a worry
due to the Red Queen effect, life is safely beyond because no one truly
lives when thus inflicted. The next stanza refers to the invention of
the electron microscope, and refers the utter smallness of human life
life which we blow out of proportion with science and the aformentioned
anthropocentricism. The stanza after this is in allusion to Plato's
theory of mankinds 'random swerve" freedom in this determinate world.
The following two stanzas then offer a naturalist view on the mankind's
indifference to natural beauty and its idolatry of itself. The final
stanza gives Cummings' personal view of mankind as just that, "a
hopeless case," and his wish to escape.
From: Lestatkatt@
dr. atomik's cryptic ensemble
studio demo track
recorded 1/28/95 in phila. pa.
taken from the master dat. let me know what you think!
1. Pity this busy monster man unkind 8:20
words by e.e. cummings
michael 'lestatkat' on piano
rich hill on guitar and vocals
chris adams on guitar and vocals
greg mcbride on bass
scott hoffman on drums
Attachment: lestatkatt\'s old band - 1 studio demo track.torrent
This has been downloaded 0 time(s).
My old band recorded this back in 1995. i only recently become aware of
e.e. cummings and i thought i would share this with you.
this is a studio recording, but was never released or given away, until now.
since this band no longer exists, i thought i would share this song with you.
the music is original. we used to play this song for about 2 years at most of
our local philly shows.
From: dave connors <conn2oo0@>
I think all of are completely wrong he is warning us of nuclear war when he say electron... mountains he is talking about a nuclear explosion and ends it by saying we destroyed the world and we will move onto the next one
---------------------------------
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From: "Calonje" <northm@>
Victor Bodega:
This poem is truthful and it service justice to all those scientist who
think the world needs technology. Meanwhile while they are diminishing
the animals from there homes and spending million of dollars, here in my
neighborhood all kids need is better books and better recreational
activities.How much can that cost you? Yo this poem is hot and the
message behind I feel represents the ignorance of those humans that
father money and power. This is one hell of a poem. I'm out and remember
it's always one love, one life and definitely one god.Keeping it Hip
hop. Adios mi gente.2005
From: "Peter Heggestuen" <peterheggestuen@>
I AM THE GOD OF POETRY
what he is saying is that the advances of science do nothing "lenses
extend unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish returns on its
unself." this advances do not change any thing. the world is no better
than what it was before.
the universe next door is nature, it is time to ditch the cities,
because nature is a hell of a good universe after all.
From: "M JEAN SCOTT" <mjeanscott1@>
pity this busy monster, manunkind,
not.
Don't feel sorry for humankind! (By describing humanity as man un-kind,
the
author is declaring that the monster that has been created in mankind by
busy-ness has rendered humanity unkind.)
By becoming busy, we have become a monster--an unkind monster at that.
(By using "this," the author is distancing mankind from himself, as if
holding mankind away from himself while describing it.)
Progress is a comfortable disease:
Progress has made us comfortable. A comfortable dis-ease is an
oxymoron--as
someone who has a dis-ease is not comfortable. With progress we have
traded
off uncomfortable diseases that will ultimately kill us for the disease
of
progress--which makes us so comfortable in life that we don't think
about
death...
your victim (death and life safely beyond)
The victim of mankind's progress is death and the afterlife--Human
progress
makes death and the afterlife its victim. The comfortable disease of
progress (attempts to) stifle death and the afeterlife altogether.
"life safely beyond" is a puzzle. Why is it safe? If cummings were
listing
two victims--"death and life safely beyond," he would have used
"victims."
Because he uses "victim," he is therefore tying death and life safely
beyond
together as one thing. Linking them together gives light to cummings'
own
beliefs that the afterlife is a safe place. (Safe from whom or
what?--from
human progress--which has created such a busy monster of manunkind?)
Cummings is saying that the victim of the comforts of progress--the
thing
that gets victimized in all of our present-day comfort is pondering
death
and what comes after death. As long as we're comfortable, we don't
really
think about death and what comes after death.
plays with the bigness of his littleness
Death (and the afterlife) plays with the bigness of the littleness of
mankind's progress.
It is ironic that the victim, death and life safely beyond, would play
with
the victimizer--mankind. Usually it's the other way around--a predator
will
play with its victim before taking it down. (Who really is the victim
here?)
Maybe death (and life safely beyond) is a victim of progress in that it
doesn't get its proper respect in a society that has been made
comfortable
by progress.
Death plays with the bigness of the littleness of human progress. In
mankind's own eyes he thinks he is big because of progress, but all
become
victims to death, ultimately. In that way, mankind really is little.
Death
(which is larger-than-human-progress) plays with
littler-than-what-he-esteems-himself progress of mankind.
Another take on that is that mankind's progress really is little,
insignificant. It is only when death and the hereafter play with
progress,
does the concept of humanity become significant.
Another take on that is that mankind's progress really is big,
significant.
It is only when death and the hereafter play with progress, does the
concept
of human progress become insignificant!
--- electrons deify one razorblade
into a mountainrange;
A fine edge, such as a razor blade, becomes as big as a mountain range
under
an electron microscope. (Because progress has taken dominion over
directing
electron beams (something very small), our awe and worshipful focus
(deifying) is on the mountain range progress has created out of a razor
blade. In that way, progress comfortably has assuaged the real
inevitability
of death and the hereafter by ascribing bigness to littleness (both
physically and metaphorically).
lenses extend
unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish
returns on its unself.
The unwish is death and the afterlife (or having to face the discomfort
of
it). Through the curved lens of progress we have extended having to face
that unwish to the point of extinguishment (or so we believe, as death
plays
with us!)
A world of made
is not a world of born ---
No progress we create can compare to life itself!
--- pity poor flesh
Pity things made of living flesh--things that are living
and trees, poor stars and stones,
Pity plants, pity things in the heavens and even stones on Earth,
but never
this
fine specimen of hypermagical
ultraomnipotence.
But don't ever pity human progress that appears beyond magical, and has
somehow elevated itself to a level of something beyond omnipotent (an
adjective usually ascribed to God, Himself.)
We doctors know
a hopeless case if
If you really want to put human progress to the test, progress in the
way of
curing some hopeless disease. Specifically, there is a hopeless case of
no
one being cured concerning (____ <-Put any number of uncurable diseases
in
the blank space)
--- listen: there's a hell
of a good universe next door; let's go
(Oops--the subject is getting too close to mortality! (Let's move
progress
into the direction of a diversion....) I know! Hey! Let's focus on space
exploration.... )