Occasionally I visit the Real Change office and annoy the paid staff. On such a recent mission I happened to learn that our beloved Ozula Sioux is actually ozula sioux. She calls this an "e.e.cummings thing".
That got me wondering - what WAS e.e.'s thing, anyway? (I mean regarding caps). And how would I know? I would have to research the matter scientifically, the way I learned in college. So I got the beer, read two or three of mr.cummings' poems, and at the appropriate moment, about 3 AM, appealed to my Poetic Muse for the Answer.
Well, Answers. I'm sure e.e. must have had days like this:
as
mostpeople are stupidugly
creeps do i want
to be likethem no
do i want
to capitalizelikethem no
do i want
to spacelikethem no
inotlikethem
even do i period no
scroom scroomall
But that's not all. We haven't expressed his profound disgust for modern life, it's artificial complexities, it's unnecessary conventions with their distracting demands upon our attentions. Capitalizers aren't just conformists, they're foolish people who turn their backs on the good life. "besimple" must be his motto.
besimple
besimpledontpunctuatedontspacenocapsnoli
nereturnnospellchexnnnoggobackeditnochew
gumchewfoodfreeyourselffromconventionsco
nveningconcomingcomingwithtogethercoming
togetherwithmostpeoplethenyoucantbeherec
ausetheyretheredontletithappentoyousimpl
But that's not all. We haven't expressed the fact that he was a poet ‹ and what do poets make?
Here I feel I can safely speak with the authority of experience!
poor eddie's lament
or opus nothing - i'm so poor
i'm so poor i only own a half-pair of socks
" " " i have to wipe myself w/. rocks
" " " my bank is by the river
" " " i've had to hock my liver
" " " no woman will give me any time
" " " all i got's words that rhyme
" " " i owe five bucks to my fleas
" " " i can't afford new shift keys
