poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

how sad it isor possibly how fun it is to dream of HAVING a good session of sex. i hate to upset you dreamers, but you need to read a copy of a dykes manual printed around 1920 to 1928. you can learn of many external contracting and internal expanding episodes. Dream on.

I think her being brought to a stand still after all that trembling has to do with her reacting to the fact that he's just come in her and now she may be pregnant -- that little -- ooo.ooo.ooo.this is so trembly.this is so fine but oops.halt.yikes.now i'm scared.

this poem obviously is about sex. Sorry guys, but my wife agrees that the last stanza has to deal with the mental and physical let down of "doing it" for the first time. Most women do not experience orgasms the first time; they are left with the fallout and the disappointment of the encounter and thus are left with an empty, hollow feeling that yearns to be filled. My wife takes the machine metaphor as a complement because all men admire good machines!

I truly wish I hadn't read even one of the comments regarding any one of these poems. I can't believe I allowed the experience of it to sully my enjoyment of riding along in the hands of a great poet.

The trouble you people seem to be having with this particular poem (and by god I will not read the comments on any of cummings' more difficult to understand works) might be resolved if you read, and (yeah right) understand his poem:

yonder deadfromtheneckup graduate

I'd say that the extended metaphor of the car for the woman is representing how some men view women as objects to be used, and controlled. If oyu look at the language, there is no emotional involvement, the woman is treated like nothing more than an object.

i wonder sometimes if people don't read alll too much into things, a letdown from sex, i would have to disagree..when i read the end i see the sharp contrast of overriding passion of the act with the sudden end of the act...when engaged in sex (especially as he describes, passionate) the senses are all focused, the smell, the sounds, the touch, the indescribable tremor as you feel the life your bonding with.....the contrast of that emotion and physical stimulation with the end of a sexual encounter is dramatic..it makes me think of the way everything slowly comes back into focus...as you perform (for lack of a better word) your only focus is the intensity of pleasing and being pleased by your partner...especially when she is new to the act, as implied, the sudden shift of activity allows the real world to slowly creep back into focus....I dont know, thats what I think

The poem expresses a real sensation for the feel of te emtions experinced when one has a sexual experince. Though not one of the best know poems it is by one of the best know authors.

Am I the only one that thinks "(and then somehow got into reverse she kicked what the hell)" was a move in the wrong direction? Which is why "next minute i was back in neutral tried and again..."

lol! Perception is a wonderful thing.

I definitely think that people are taking this poem way too literally and are reading to far into things.The metaphor of the woman and the machine isnt meant to "objectify women." anyone can see that ee cummings does not objectify women by reading his other work. I also dont think the last line, about the woman trembling, has anything to do with the "let down" after having sex for the first time. Its true that most women dont have an orgasm the first time, but this poem is not that literal! I love ee cummings and most of his poetry, I think, is very complex and profound. But this one is just a witty, kinky poem about sex.

Metaphorically speaking, that poem is the most thrilling and fulfilling sexual experience this sixty-two year old man has experienced in years. I wish they made cars like they did in the "old days." No doubt my comments will arouse the ire of the female gender, but I think she enjoyed herself when she came to a "dead stand still."