Inspiration from e.e. cummings

I’ve been bumping into the poetry of e.e. cummings everywhere lately.

It started in Singapore.  I was there because 3 week old niece was in hospital.  She was at NUH (National University Hospital).  They have a heart research centre there.  And in the lobby there an art installation inspired by this poem

‘i carry your heart with me (i carry it
in my heart)’

Later, I saw this artwork, which I love, by Alisa Burke which uses the poem.  (She is also inspiring me to create art lately.  I am taking the create daily course, as a kickstart to my goal to start and keep using an art journal)

On Pinterest, I was drawn to another piece of art created using a quote from e.e. cummings

‘i love you much (most beautiful darling)’

I have also been reading Sparks of Genius, by Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein (which I bought after being inspired by these blog posts at Interest-Led Learning based on ideas in the book.  The book talks about the poem 1 as an example of abstracting (I am not going to reproduce the poem because I think it infringes copyright, but I urge you to find a copy or this will not make much sense). The book describes abstracting as

‘a process beginning with reality and using some tool to pare away the excess to reveal a critical, often surprising, essence.’

Cummings poem is an abstraction of the numeral 1 and I or the state of being one or alone.  From Sparks of Genius:

'the whole poem appears on the page as a 1, with all of its connotations of oneness, loneliness and I-ness synthesized in its form. So much meaning in so few letters!'

What is your favourite poem or poet?  I love you to share it with me.