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Favorite E.E. Cummings poem and the need for poetry

It's been a while since I read for pleasure.  I generally read mostly work-related articles until my eyes give out.

But as a former English major, I need a fix... Poetry for me is not hearts and flowers. It's angst, frustration, love, passion; every raw emotion expressed in a unique perspective.
I'll admit I was never a good writer of poetry, (at least by my professors' standards), but it fuels the soul.

In the words of Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society"....

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."



"Humanity I Love You" by E E Cummings

Humanity i love you
because you would rather black the boots of
success than enquire whose soul dangles from his
watch-chain which would be embarrassing for both

parties and because you
unflinchingly applaud all
songs containing the words country home and
mother when sung at the old howard

Humanity i love you because
when you’re hard up you pawn your
intelligence to buy a drink and when
you’re flush pride keeps

you from the pawn shop and
because you are continually committing
nuisances but more
especially in your own house

Humanity i love you because you
are perpetually putting the secret of
life in your pants and forgetting
it’s there and sitting down

on it
and because you are
forever making poems in the lap
of death Humanity

i hate you




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