you shall above all things be glad and young
For if you’re young,whatever life you wear

it will become you;and if you are glad
whatever’s living will yourself become.
Girlboys may nothing more than boygirls need:
i can entirely her only love

whose any mystery makes every man’s
flesh put space on;and his mind take off time

that you should ever think,may god forbid
and (in his mercy) your true lover spare:
for that way knowledge lies,the foetal grave
called progress,and negation’s dead undoom.

I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance

Analysis, meaning and summary of e.e. cummings's poem you shall above all things… (22)

2 Comments

  1. chaney says:

    i love e.e. cummings. he so brilliantly muddles his words and plays with grammar (oh my god “warped this parhapsy”…) but this one is particulalry uplifting. not in the way the post above says, but i think more in the always profound be-true-to-thineself-and-happiness-will-find-you-way…

    “FOR IF YOURE YOUNG, WHATEVER LIFE YOU WEAR WILL BECOME YOU; AND IF YOU ARE GLAD WHATEVERS LIVING WILL YOURSELF BECOME.”

    this poem changes its meaning to me still, and i dont have it figured out, but i think it makes me remember to just be happy contained in my own little self and everything else will follow suit. when i read this i feel a smile; afterall, be happy and sing, or wallow in pleasing everyone but yourself and find yourself in the company of misery.

  2. liana pehrsson-berindei says:

    There is a trend of Pantheism in the poem. The god LIFE, penetrates everything. A positive karma coming back to you when you approach life in a positive way.

    An immense joy of living.

    The theme of love that takes one beyond space and time.

    The imagery of birds singing, stars dancing – are transcending elements that give the poem an universal feeling.

    Very Wordsworthian.

    One of my favorite poems.

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