E. E. Cummings read R. H. Blyth in the 1950s, and his latter poems are directly influenced by haiku. This paper digs deeply into Cummings’ seminal poem, “l(a,” which Mitchell Morse once described as “in spirit a perfect haiku.” Come discover the reasons why, and learn about its direct Japanese influences, including Cummings earlier forays into “hokku.”
Detailed academic exploration of haiku strategies and influences on one of E. E. Cummings’ most famous poems, in the context of other haiku-related poems by the author. Handouts will be provided to attendees.