The concept of love is widely explored in literature, ranging from captivating. Odes about admirers to sorrow-filled compositions describing the loss of a sweetheart. Taking a charming spin on love, E. E. Cummings’ poem, “since feeling is first,” uses comparison to show that romance is propelled by the theme of purity, ultimately persuading his audience to follow their hearts over their minds when it comes to real-world love. The poet mainly focuses on the difference between a man. Whose center lies in wisdom versus a man who is in tune with his emotions. Where the latter greatly prospers over the former when pursuing romance.
Cummings’ first and second stanzas displays the differences between a man who overanalyzes situations and another who lets his feelings rule over his life. He initially states, “since feeling is first” (Cummings 1), starting his poem, as well as titling his piece, with a claim that emotions come before all other senses. Especially in a romantic context, as Cummings writes about, the act of identifying and acting upon one’s feelings is essential. As a relationship stems from proclaimed affection, the thoughts that inhabit the mind are more propelled by the soul than logic. By following his heart, Cummings maintains a sense of purity and innocence, reveling in contentment with the company of his lover. The next lines state, “who pays any attention to the syntax of things/will never wholly kiss you” (2-4), where Cummings provides reasoning for his original claim of feelings coming first.
He displays two differing tones between these lines, putting down the egos of others while showing boundless affection for his lover. The love of his life stands as a treasure, where he defensively guards her against those who are more logically inclined, as they do not prove worthy. Fittingly, Cummings’ mention of syntax follows through in his writing, which lacks a complete usage of capitalization and punctuation. The formed sentences are broken up into lines, yet are not composed of the same format throughout.
Whereas the start of some phrases are properly capitalized, others begin with lowercase lettersand are not preceded by any punctuation, creating differences in the poem’s composition. In this oddly-formatted style lies a mockery of those individuals guided by logic; although Cummings initially deems them undeserving of his lover, he furthers this by satirically poking fun at their overflowing intelligence directly through his writing. Through the humorous ridicule, he warns his readers against using knowledge to uncover the depths of romance. Instead of prospering through an authentic life, those who spend their time dwelling on logic waste away their time, missing opportunities to pursue an ideal romance.
Differing from the men who are propelled by logic, Cummings finds himself to be a man of pure emotion. He refers to himself in “wholly to be a fool/while Spring is in the world” (5-6), contrasting with other men who find themselves more involved with knowledge. When he is in the presence of his lover, he is overwhelmed by her beauty and begins to stutter and bumble through his words. Whereas some men are puzzled by intelligence and education, Cummings finds himself curiously dwelling on the charming woman in his life. The referral to “Spring” (6) symbolizes the lover, representing her encompassing attraction to Cummings as a season. With a mention of spring, the themes of purity and fertility come to mind, regarding the falling of cherry blossoms, the blooming of a first love, and the gradual perking up of greenery when warm weather strikes.
Emphasized by the usage of the word “lady” (10), the aura of the woman is filled with a teeming feminine innocence, which influences Cummings in choosing emotions over logic. He makes his intentions resonate with the woman he loves, going so far as to make “[his] blood [approve]” (7), making the relationship go past a mere physical state. As “Spring” (6) is capitalized, the concept of religion is brought upon the romance, putting an emphasis on the ethereal image of the woman.
