i will wade out
by Alex
i will wade out
till my thighs are steeped in burning flowers
I will take the sun into my mouth
and leap into the ripe air
Alive
with closed eyes
to dash against the darkness
in the sleeping curves of my body
Shall enter fingers of smooth mastery
with chasteness of sea-girls
Will I complete the mystery
of my flesh
I will rise
After a thousand years
lipping
flowers
And set my teeth in the silver of the moon
-e.e. cummings
(you should hear this one set to music)
I like that.
What music? You mean like and old school beat. Actually I could kind of see that. Right about now we gonna drop some e.e. on yo ass.
Actually, Eric Whitacre created an excellent choral setting of this poem. It is sung on his Complete A Capella Works CD and is available from Walton Music. :)
{sigh}
yeah dude, I know – that was what I was listening to when I wrote the blog (hence the final line of the entry). I must say I prefer Lux Aurumque, however.
yeah…bjork set these words to some insanely incredible music, too…inasnely…
THE BJORK TRACK IS OFF THE SUPERB ALBUM “VESPERTINE” (2001). IT’S CALLED “AN ECHO, A STAIN”, I THINK. IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
the bjork track is actually titled “sun in my mouth”
but “an echo, a stain” is incredible as well, of course.
yup, the track is titled “Sun In My Mouth”,
and my opinion is, that it really makes the poem “Wade” sound incredible… :)
Yes, it is Called “Sun In My Mouth.” The funny thing is, Bjork says, in her song, “chasteness of seagulls” instead of sea-girls. This is often mis-quoted on Bjork lyrics sites in replacement of Cummings’ original lyric. I think Cummings says, definitely, “sea-girls” in his poem though I am not certain. I find this rather interesting and amusing because, as an archetype, sea maidens–or rather any woman of water–are mysterious, untrustworthy, and sexual. But what do seagulls do? Obviously not lure young men into their grips..they seem to me more chaste than sea-girls. All they do is steal your food. And they have such a smooth, porcelain quality to the white (archetypally a color of chastity and purity) feathers on their bellies, that it appears they have been crafted by “fingers of smooth mastery.” Anyway, just wanted to share that with you all. (c:
bye for now!
i’m glad i stumbled upon this site, since i was looking for the complete poem and my web searches usually just turn up the bjork lyrics.
anyway, listen to “sun in my mouth” and she actually does sing “sea girls.” i don’t know why they typed “seagulls” in the album sleeve…
the whole “impressions” series of poems is incredible
I’m doing research on Eric Whitacre’s “Three Songs of Faith” and have been searching for this poem for an hour! So thankyou! The choir I sing in is singing “hope, faith, life, love”. Eric Whitacre is a genius. My absolute favourite is “When David Heard”, and not being religious, I think that says something. Anyway. Cool blog – thanks! xoxoxoxo
I love this poem. It’s so much more accessible than any of cummings’s other stuff. It can seem both innocent and extremely sexual with different readings.
Kayleigh,
I’m glad we share the same views on “When David Heard”. I feel like the only Whitacre pieces that ever get praise are “Go, Lovely Rose”, “Lux Aurumque”, and “Sleep”. I would have to say that for me his most moving piece was “Cloudburst”, because it’s the only one that I’ve ever sung of his. However, “When David Heard” is the one that I find to be his most artistic work, what with the awesome emotion that it conveys. It’s absolutely astounding, and I’ve listened to just that piece for hours at a time. He really has a way of reaching into you, doesn’t he? Well, that’s all for now.