Viva

by E.E. Cummings

Book Overview

First published in 1931, ViVa contains four of E. E. Cummings' most experimental poems as well as some of his most memorable. The volume includes such no-famous celebrations as "i sing of Olaf glad and big" and "if there are any heavens my mother will (all be herself) have," along with such favorites as "Space being (don't forget to remember) Curved," "a clown's smirk in the skull of a baboon," and "somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond."...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087140169X
• ISBN13: 9780871401694
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Liveright Publishing Corporation
• Length: 88 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A stimulating volume from a sculptor of words

"ViVa," by E.E. Cummings, is a collection of 70 poems numbered with Roman numerals. The afterword by George James Firmage notes that an earlier edition of the book (one riddled with errors) was published back in 1931."ViVa" shows Cummings to be one of the most distinctive and inventive poets in the English language. He uses a lot of eye-catching, and apparently made-up, words: "fasterishly," "infrafairy," "uneyes," "firsting," "nonglance," etc. In many of his poems he experiments with punctuation, word structure, word order, and capitalization in startling ways--he's like a sculptor playfully molding the English language into strange new shapes.But I must admit that I found some of his poems too experimental--to the point of incomprehensibility. Still, even his most impenetrable poems are stimulating in odd ways. Many poems imitate people's speech; some raise theological questions. There is a sadness to much of the book in the form of poems that touch on the despair, loneliness, and dislocation of modern life. But these are balanced by some truly striking and beautiful love poems. There is also a satirical element present in the book.When Cummings' experiments succeed, he really dazzles; consider poem XXXVIII, where the words seem to really dance and crackle across the page. His imagery at its best is fresh and invigorating. "ViVa" is not an easy read, but it's a remarkable work from a true original.

Somewhere I have Never Travelled,but gladly beyond....

While I was not familiar with many of the works of e.e.cummings, I heard a poem used in a scene in the movie"Hannah and Her Sisters". A beautifully touching love poem"Somewhere I have never travelled". It affected me so deeply I had to find out who wrote this piece.I researched it and found it in Viva. This collection by e.e.cummings is so intensely beautiful,complex and challenging,you may think your'e in over your head. It is not for just its lyrical complexity but even the way it is typed it is a puzzle worthy to piece together and watch its beauty unfold in your hands.If you love poetry on levels beyond the rhyme this is the reason to get Viva. Viva la difference!Exquisitely done.