Analysis of Cummings’ Poem I Carry Your Heart with Me

Have you ever met someone whom you feel you are in love with? Cumming published a poem that explains how heartfelt and fervent a special connection between two people can be. In 1952, Cummings published the “i carry your heart with me.” His use of parentheses and grammar astonished the public and gave a uniqueness to his writing. This is because his poetry defied the rules of the language of his century. Cummings wrote “i carry your heart with me” to advocate the beauty and unity of love to his readers.

Having a clear apprehension of the poem’s plot will is imperative to understanding Cumming’s purpose for writing “i carry your heart with me.” The poem is about two people, the narrator and his lover. Throughout the poem, a conversation is being held between the two lovers about their everlasting devotion for each other. In the first stanza, the narrator tells his beloved that he will always carry her in his heart. “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in/ my heart) i am never without it”. In this quote, the narrator is describing how his love for his partner runs so deep that he always yearns to be with her. He wants to hold her close to his heart, so he will never lose her. The lovers then express how they are equivalent to the world to each other. “i want/ no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)”. In this quote, the narrator and his beloved continue their conversation. They compare each other to “the world.” This is significant because they are stating that their love is so potent for each other, they mean everything to each other. Their conversation then shifts to how their love, and love universally, is the foundation of life. Cummings ends his poem with the same line he started with. “i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)”. This is noteworthy because it brings the reader back to the basis of the poem, that love is infinite.

Cumming’s genius use of language engages the reader to a finer basis on the unity of love. This is most notable in his use of parentheses. He uses parentheses after the narrator makes a statement. The reason for that is to show a conversation between the relater and his lover. “i fear/ no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)”. In this quote, the narrator is revealing a personal fear and his lover comforts him by informing him that he is her fate. This quote shows the unity of a strong love because it represents that love can overcome challenges. In this quote, Cummings uses parentheses to show communication between the soulmates. Cummings also purposely wrote his poem using a lack of space between his clauses. He does this to show the symbolism of how love unites two people. This point is also supported by the fact Cummings uses the uses of parentheses to show a conversation between the speaker and his lover.

Analyzing the symbolism and theme within “i carry your heart with me” will assist in the understanding of how Cummings interprets love as a source of unity for eternity. Cummings incorporates the typical, romantic “sun” and “moon” reference into his poem. The “sun” and “moon” symbol represents how love will never die and will last forever. “and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant/ and whatever a sun will always sing is you”. During this quote, the speaker tells his soulmate that she is everything to him. This quote exemplifies the symbolism between the “sun” and “moon” because it represents how their love will never fade. The sun will always be the center of the solar system and the moon will always revolve around the earth. Cummings uses symbolism by using their love to represent the “sun” and “moon” and how it will never end. In “i carry your heart with me,” the symbolic reference that love is the key to the foundation to life is shown when Cummings states, “(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud/ and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows”. The narrator brings up a symbolic reference to the “tree of life.” In this “tree of life,” the buds represent the coming of life and the top of the tree represents where we will end up in life. Love plays a role in the “tree of life” because it makes us who we are as we are gradually venturing to our journey’s end. This correlates with the theme of love being everlasting. This is mainly because even from the “bud” stage to the “sky” stage, love travels with us the whole time. It shapes us into who we are.

In 1952, Cummings published a poem that would open the eyes of the public to how ravishing love can be. It told the story that love can unite two people together and will last for an eternity. The purpose of Cumming’s writing “i carry your heart with me” was to inform his readers of what being in true love feels like. Apprehending the plot, use of language, symbolism, and theme of “i carry your heart with me” aids the readers in analyzing the poem's meaning. Cumming’s poem “i carry your heart with me” is sure to touch the hearts of his readers with the deep, emotional references found within it.