E.E. Cummings reads Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town

[@wompstopm123]

i am so glad he sounds like this. hes so majestic like a real character

[@ericmelton4186]

My favorite poem of all time. I’ve studied it for 30 years and it always somehow brings me to tears.

[@BUKCOLLECTOR]

One of the truly great ones that bring me to my core oh lost youth oh days when children say funny and brilliant things like savages trying to send you a message thru their bodies while their bodies are still alive enough to transmit to feel to run up and down without locks or paychecks or ideals or opinions or mentally retarded ineptitudes

[@GeminiLibra73]

Yes, the joy and the mystery, and the tragedy that so few remember the secret that everyone knew

[@meganmoney5202]

Could you explain it to me? I’m writing an essay on it and have to explain how it reflects the characteristics of the modernism literary age

[@Lorieellesh]

I am so surprised by the sound of his voice. I wasn't expecting it to sound like this at all.

[@jeffersonparrish4380]

I agree. The poem--which used to be one of my favorites--should sound American. It doesn't. It sounds so high-falutin. The recording makes me rethink everything I ever thought about him. Maybe it's a trivial poem after all.

[@ericmelto7810]

Me either I read it 1000 times and he made it perfect.

[@AnneSeagull]

Yes, i too was surprised by the sound of his voice. I was expecting a more wacky tone and very American accent! Instead, he sounds almost posh English, solemn and dignified - with an almost langerous rich timbre, extremely soothing to listen to - and gives his poems a sustaining "don't mess with me" gravitas!

[@ericmelto7810]

Anne Seagull my favorite poem of all time.

[@kirbygene]

@@jeffersonparrish4380 I agree. I love the poem but it sounds better just being read without the dramatics. Maybe he thought that was expected of him, but the poem is more powerful without it.

[@ericmelton4630]

By far my favorite poem of all time. Read it for 20 years and then KZbin made it so real again and again. Thank u you tube.

[@kirbygene]

I first heard this in Mrs. Simon's English class in 7th grade. I'm 64 now and it's still my favorite poem of all time. Two non-conformists found each other in a conformist culture. Beautiful.

[@pricklypear7516]

Oh. Mrs. Simon graced you with the conventional interpretation of this poem. But cummings was hardly a conventional poet. Read the poem again. Noone is a nobody because she never declared herself. And anyone, obliviously living his anyone life in a "pretty how town," never knew. So while SHE "laughed his joy and cried his grief," HE does. . . absolutely nothing toward acknowledging her existence. (After all, what would there be for the children to "forget" if not her unrequited love for him?) One interpretation is as good as another, of course. But mine better reflects cummings' general sense of 20th century malaise. And his tricksiness.

[@JohnMan59]

I could just weep. The pace, the words.

[@ze_chooch]

What a great resource KZbin is.

[@moazAlhamedy]

Indeed

[@ericmelto7810]

Reply again. The world is waiting for you.

[@ze_chooch]

Eric Melto huh?

[@ericmelto7810]

Dominick Villegas ask me a ?

[@ze_chooch]

Eric Melto why?

[@ericmelto7810]

Favorite poem of all time. God is noone. I am anyone. You are someone. Bird by snow is when you see yourself and something alive other than people.

[@ericmelton4630]

Awesome. I've been studying this since 1990. So cool to hear the poet himself read it to me.

[@LilacPixieNadj]

This reminds me of the town I grew up in. Everyone concerned with how happy and great their own lives all while there's so many people in pain right under their noses. They deny it even exists, let alone care about "anyone".

[@josephsonoftheuniverseahur6976]

Thank you for being you... Never stop being you... These are the days. By Van Morrison....

[@ericmelton4630]

Read it for twenty years before KZbin made it real. Much better I think. I'm so glad I heard him recite this amazing work of art. So many ingredients. rolled into a pizza

[@dahobos]

This poem is one of the most deep poems I have ever read. E.E. Cummings is an inspiring figure. At first glance this is a "what?" poem, but as you get into it you realize how interesting it is. Where did you get a hold of this recording - it's amazing.

[@BooboocookieC8]

i love "If freckles were lovely and day were night measles were nice and a lie warn't a lie life would be a delight but in such a sad plight i wouldn't be i" -ee cummings i rememerd that off the top of my head

[@oliviah.3505]

Such a moving, beautiful poem. One of my favourites.

[@madmadameminx]

This poem always brought me to tears as a kid.

[@JensenTSolo]

We are rapidly coming to an age where we will no longer be able to hear these great poets recite their own works...his voice is amazing and the crests and falls as he works his ways through the stanzas is what makes the poem REAL.

[@CMON75]

Isn't it the opposite? We are emerging from an age where no one could hear stuff like this, and now anyone with a phone and internet access can listen to it indefinitely.

[@akaicedtea6236]

Thank you for preserving this

[@siearrahunt8697]

I wish I could sit and talk to him just to see how a brain of such creative thinking works! Most amazing man. One day I hope to marry a man of such charisma.

[@josephsonoftheuniverseahur6976]

Only foolish men get married.... And the more foolish chase.... The wise sit and watch sit and love... All.. I love you.

[@ericmelto7810]

In heaven we will be able to talk to him.

[@gmkell59]

Easily my Favorite Poet His imagery is the best, He makes you use your brain to see what he sees... The las tLine in Doll's Boy... For every mile the feet goes, the heart goes nine...Just great! thanks for listing this!

[@c.allanlauber3150]

It's a love story. Noone (wife) and Anyone (husband) are a couple. "One day anyone died I guess. (And Noone stooped to kiss his face.)" One of the most beautiful lines in all love poetry. He died; so she dies too. It happens a lot.

[@ericmelton4630]

C. Allan Lauber " no one"is God to me. "Anyone "is us. Bells are everyone but us. Up so floating many bells down. Dong and ding. Such a great work of poetic genius

[@ericmelton4630]

They don't reach to teach this in school. Not enough time for fools to learn rules.

[@ericmelton4630]

C. Allan Lauber remember he uses his words differently than we would. No one is God. We are just the bells that He's ringing.

[@AnneSeagull]

Thank-you for pointing out that anyone and noone are a couple who die one right after the other. It makes it all the more poignant! I'd taken the meaning in a more literally abstract way which is less of a love story. I sing this poem as a song on the 11th album on the Listen Now page of www.anneseagull.com

[@Skyelement84K]

@@AnneSeagull very interesting. Thank you for your vision and freedom

[@Skyelement84K]

My absolute favorite poem

[@JakkiPadilla]

One of the best poems I've read lately.

[@stephaniemccord8677]

Such a beautiful pace.

[@cbswims401]

thank you so much! One of my all time fave poems, never heard it read by its author b4...

[@princedeasturias]

This is one of the few poems I remember from high school

[@ericmelto7810]

Love this. Makes me feel alive and I know that I have love. And my love is like a secret. I can’t tell you but I want to scream it on the mountain sides

[@michaelfebbert737]

What a beautiful comment!

[@ericmelton4630]

Silver starlight still seems so special something stolen secretly softly seeking solutions seemingly so serene steering slowly strait in to the soul

[@ahhhfakemonsters]

I love this poem.

[@chinna8894]

His voice

[@vonkammer]

Harold Clapsaddle My god someone gets it!! I love to see new readers appreciate good poetry! - At Least the emotion that is - ton of remorse and guilt left to feel in this - but you've got the initial 'hook' :)

[@stargirl33343]

Just read this for the first time today, it made absolutely no sense at first but is starting to come together.

[@MakeToastNotWar]

This is completely different to how I read it in my head. I much prefer this version.

[@davidkelly5343]

earth by april, wish by spirit and if by YES - one of THE GREAT POEMS

[@ericmelton4186]

Greatest poem of all time.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Oh my word! Amazing.

[@КоровинаЕлена]

Amazing. Just amazing

[@9monava]

In Their Own Voices: A Century of Recorded Poetry -- Rhino Word Beat -- multi-column set includes WALT WHITMAN -- goes throug contemporary -- there is nothing like hearing the poet read his or her own words! ~Monique from 5 over 4

[@ericmelton4630]

What we wreck we weep what we weaponize we worship what we want we waste what we wish we wonder what we worry we want wisdom what we were we wish we were. What we work with won't wait what we walk we weary

[@anaalanis9282]

it sounds much more ominous than i expected

[@alydrinkstea123]

oh my god you genius

[@jochanaan58]

a voice commanding in his way own he words his spaces to hard them hit

[@akaicedtea6236]

Thank you.

[@ericmelton4630]

"She ". Is the world. Tress sky sand lightning rain and after was by was. We find people are here for a reason but we have no understanding.

[@poettomm]

"He died; so she dies too" actually, C. Allan, it never says that Noone died - only that "busyfolk buried them side by side/little by little and was by was all by all and deep by deep and more by more they dream their sleep noone, anyone earth by april wish by spirit and if by yes" I believe that Mr Cummings has written many of the most beautiful lines in all love poetry. Thanks for your caring.

[@wehaveasituation]

Wow!

[@redhothatyellow]

anyone lived in a pretty how town(with up so floating many bells down)spring summer autumn winterhe sang his didn't he danced his did.Women and men(both little and small)cared for anyone not at allthey sowed their isn't they reaped their samesun moon stars rainchildren guessed(but only a fewand down they forgot as up they grewautumn winter spring summer)that noone loved him more by morewhen by now and tree by leafshe laughed his joy she cried his griefbird by snow and stir by stillanyone's any was all to hersomeones married their everyoneslaughed their cryings and did their dance(sleep wake hope and then)theysaid their nevers they slept their dreamstars rain sun moon(and only the snow can begin to explainhow children are apt to forget to rememberwith up so floating many bells down)one day anyone died i guess(and noone stooped to kiss his face)busy folk buried them side by sidelittle by little and was by wasall by all and deep by deepand more by more they dream their sleepnoone and anyone earth by aprilwish by spirit and if by yes.Women and men(both dong and ding)summer autumn winter springreaped their sowing and went their camesun moon stars rain

[@earwiggherd]

At least one mistake in the captions (which could have been checked by looking up the poem): "children guessed" is rendered "children guests."

[@waspberrii]

hope you found the original audio on the Poetry Archive website so you could cite it properly

[@thorstenpyre7636]

I made the 1k like

[@redshelly69]

Is this an original reciting by Cummings? Would really like to cite this reading in a critical analysis I am writing, could you let me know the source? Thanks

[@ti225rt]

Briliant

[@Arabesque42]

//tears the fuck up/

[@dahobos]

@violashutters I agree completely.

[@asdfgh123456978]

I love his accent

[@asdfgh123456978]

Is he southern?

[@voxhominem]

He's from Mass

[@Lorieellesh]

No, he was from Cambridge, Massachusetts. His Dad taught at Harvard.

[@zander4171]

This poem creeps me out ! sorry E.E Cummings

[@wilhelmsarosen4735]

dislike for all the capital letters in the title.

[@MasterFreespirit]

@taurusgirl65 Thank you. I appreciate your insight.

[@jackzegas]

I've always wondered if he was high when he wrote this

[@Skyelement84K]

LOL...

[@Kripkenstein2]

@chickenwang4eva A fool sees not the same light a wise man does, He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star said Blake.

[@ABlaineProject]

This poem is so overt, and I don't understand how anyone could be confused about it.

[@shakesrear7850]

anyone lived in a pretty how town BY E. E. CUMMINGS anyone lived in a pretty how town (with up so floating many bells down) spring summer autumn winter he sang his didn’t he danced his did. Women and men(both little and small) cared for anyone not at all they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same sun moon stars rain children guessed(but only a few and down they forgot as up they grew autumn winter spring summer) that noone loved him more by more when by now and tree by leaf she laughed his joy she cried his grief bird by snow and stir by still anyone’s any was all to her someones married their everyones laughed their cryings and did their dance (sleep wake hope and then)they said their nevers they slept their dream stars rain sun moon (and only the snow can begin to explain how children are apt to forget to remember with up so floating many bells down) one day anyone died i guess (and noone stooped to kiss his face) busy folk buried them side by side little by little and was by was all by all and deep by deep and more by more they dream their sleep noone and anyone earth by april wish by spirit and if by yes. Women and men(both dong and ding) summer autumn winter spring reaped their sowing and went their came sun moon stars rain

[@reallyWyrd]

Is there some kind of special exemption where a KZbin channel can explicitly request a video to be not monetized? Because it would be a lot better if this poem didn't have an ad in front of it and ad after it.

[@ericmelton4630]

I'm doing poetry experiments share with you friend.

[@TheWorldMemeDatabase]

Actually it refers to actual people, for instance "anyone" and "noone"

[@owen823]

This hurts because is anyone Anyone? Did Cummings know that Anyone and Noone are impossible? Or did he actually think that people could reach nirvana in America? I get what he is admiring, but dammit it makes me sad. All of the children forget.

[@pabzthemaz9627]

he sounds like dumbledore

[@neonlights22]

Am I the only one who hears Winnie the Pooh speaking?

[@ericmelto7810]

You should read this for 20 years before you “listen” to him.

[@chickenwang4eva]

What does it mean by women and men both little and small?

[@redclayfarm6490]

both men and women are little and small

[@ericmelto7810]

Better than Shakespeare or even coolridged.

[@Mer1002]

whenever I read this out loud, I read it much faster..hmm

[@artsyg33k]

Jim Cummings does Winnie the Pooh and tigger...and I wouldn't be surprised if they're related. It would be interesting to take a genealogical look. I'll add that a look at their pictures shows very similar physical features.

[@alicja_o]

pozdrawiam serdecznie 48oja

[@sarah-mj9tw]

turn up to 2x speed, it sounds normal

[@MasterFreespirit]

What the heck is this poem about????

[@cornsyruptrucker]

He sounds like posh Winnie the Pooh

[@7125Mhz]

You need to do some more research. You don't even recognize his voice!

[@BlueDragonMusicPromotions]

Bruh do you even english?

[@cadellvandenheuvel949]

It's not simply poor grammar. He is using extensive word play. For example: "anyone" is actually a person; so is "no one." Poetry is different from prose in the regard that grammar is not strictly defined. In this case, the rules of grammar are broken for effect.

[@BlueDragonMusicPromotions]

+Cadell Van Den Heuvel yea i know i waa just making a joke :/

[@cadellvandenheuvel949]

+BlueDragon Music Promotions My apologize. I often take things too literally. It's strange considering how poetry is a hobby of mine.

[@bryandelahoz6063]

My apologies* or I apologize*. Hope it helps, :D!

[@lipby]

About 100 times better than you

[@ericmelto7810]

I guess no one gets it. Hahahah

[@MsGrodriguez1]

sorry, dont get it...

[@420amontee]

Never heard his voice....sounds like my man when he talks dirty in bed,

[@kirby327]

ehhh amateur of a poem

[@pinkbeachloverable]

So you don't like it or it's so moving it brings you to tears?