(no subject)

[dichroic]

For today's entry I'm going to cheat and recycle something I wrote in 2002, because the correspondence between these two works still amuses me. I'm off to JournalCon tomorrow, so I probably won't get to 'D' until Monday or so. Let me know, by the way, if you like this series or hate it and wish I'd just stop and get it off your friends page.

is for cummings

I know sex and death are two of the most common themes in poetry, but does anyone else see a really amusing amount of correspondence here, or is it just me?

(may i touch said he how much said she a lot said he) why not said she (let's go said he not too far said she what's too far said he where you are said she) may i stay said he (which way said she like this said he if you kiss said she may i move said he it is love said she) if you're willing said he (but you're killing said she but it's life said he but your wife said she now said he) ow said she (tiptop said he don't stop said she oh no said he) go slow said she (cccome?said he ummm said she you're divine!said he (you are Mine said she) e.e.cummings, "may I feel said he"

I. Paradise Boy: I remember every little thing As if it happened only yesterday Parking by the lake And there was not another car in sight And I never had a girl Looking any better than you did And all the kids at school They were wishing they were me that night And now our bodies are oh so close and tight It never felt so good, it never felt so right And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife C'mon! Hold on tight! C'mon! Hold on tight! Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night I can see paradise by the dashboard light Girl: Ain't no doubt about it We were doubly blessed Cause we were barely seventeen And we were barely dressed Boy: And I gotta let ya know No you're never gonna regret it So open up your eyes I got a big surprise It'll feel all right Well I wanna make your motor run And now our bodies are oh so close and tight It never felt so good, it never felt so right And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife C'mon! Hold on tight! C'mon! Hold on tight! We're gonna go all the way tonight We're gonna go all the way Tonight's the night... Radio Broadcast: Ok, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here, two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth, there's the wind-up and there it is, a line shot up the middle, look at him go. This boy can really fly! He's rounding first and really turning it on now, he's not letting up at all, he's gonna try for second; the ball is bobbled out in center, and here comes the throw, and what a throw! He's gonna slide in head first, here he comes, he's out! No, wait, safe--safe at second base, this kid really makes things happen out there. Batter steps up to the plate, here's the pitch-- he's going, and what a jump he's got, he's trying for third, here's the throw, it's in the dirt-- safe at third! Holy cow, stolen base! He's taking a pretty big lead out there, almost daring him to try and pick him off. The pitcher glance over, winds up, and it's bunted, bunted down the third base line, the suicide squeeze in on! Here he comes, squeeze play, it's gonna be close, here's the throw, there's the play at the plate, holy cow, I think he's gonna make it! II. Let Me Sleep On It Girl: Stop right there! Before we go any further--! Do you love me? Will you love me forever? Do you need me? Will you never leave me? Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life? Will you take me away and will you make me your wife? Do you love me!? Will you love me forever!? Do you need me!? Will you never leave me!? Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life!? Will you take me away and will you make me your wife!? I gotta know right now Before we go any further Do you love me!!!? Will you love me forever!!!? Boy: Let me sleep on it Baby, baby let me sleep on it Let me sleep on it And I'll give you my answer in the morning Girl: Will you love me forever? Boy: Let me sleep on it!!! Girl: Will you love me forever!!! III. Praying for the End of Time Boy: I couldn't take it any longer Lord I was crazed And when the feeling came upon me Like a tidal wave I started swearing to my god and on my mother's grave That I would love you to the end of time I swore that I would love you to the end of time! So now I'm praying for the end of time To hurry up and arrive Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you I don't think that I can really survive I'll never break my promise or forget my vow But God only knows what I can do right now I'm praying for the end of time It's all that I can do Praying for the end of time, so I can end my time with you!!! Meatloaf, excerpted from "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"

Well, maybe it's not as close a correspondence as I thought; I first read the
cummings line, "But your wife" as "But I want to be your wife", and now I realize it's more probably meant to be, "But what about your wife?" Despite that, though, the cummings poem somehow sounds to me like adolescent sex, as much as the Meatloaf song. I don't think cummings can be meaning to say that all sex is adolescent, since it took him three tries (so presumably some maturity) to get marriage right. And then he did -- and there's nothing like a happy marriage to convince you that all good sex doesn't have to be in the adolescent model.


It's always startling to realize how frankly sexual so much of e.e. cummings' work is, once you get past the few poems most commonly anthologized. (Was the other meaning of his own name an influence?) I suppose it shows his genius that he evokes the mood with such allusory brushwork, though I don't think the comparison is all to Meatloaf's discredit either. (The baseball announcer part makes me laugh every time.)