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by E. E. (Edward Estlin) Cummings (1894 - 1962)

spring omnipotent goddess
 (Sung text for setting by G. Bachlund)
 Matches original text
Language: English 
spring omnipotent goddess Thou
dost stuff parks
with overgrown pimply
chevaliers and gumchewing giggly
 
damosels Thou dost
persuade to serenade
his lady the musical tom-cat
Thou dost inveigle
 
into crossing sidewalks the
unwary june-bug and the frivolous
angleworm
Thou dost hang canary birds in parlour windows
 
Spring slattern of seasons
you have soggy legs
and a muddy petticoat
drowsy
 
is your hair your
eyes are sticky with
dream and you have a sloppy body from
 
being brought to bed of crocuses
when you sing in your whisky voice
the grass rises on the head of the earth
and all the trees are put on edge
 
spring
of the excellent jostle of
thy hips
and the superior
 
slobber of your breasts i
am so very fond that my
soul inside of me hollers
for thou comest
 
and your hands are the snow and thy
fingers are the rain
and your
feet O your feet
 
freakish
feet feet incorrigible
 
ragging the world 
First published in The Dial, Volume 68 no. 5, May 1920

Composition:

    Set to music by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "spring omnipotent goddess", 2008 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ]

Text Authorship:

  • by E. E. (Edward Estlin) Cummings (1894 - 1962), no title, appears in Tulips and Chimneys, in 1. Tulips, in 7. Portraits, no. 9, first published 1920

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-07
Line count: 38
Word count: 160

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