When God Lets My Body Be Imagery

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In the poem “When God Lets My Body Be,” E.E. Cummings uses imagery to provoke the readers thought concerning connections between life and death. The entire poem uses no punctuation. There is not one capital letter and the word God is not recognized as a proper noun. The imagery used in Cummings’ work leads one to believe he felt that a divine power intertwines human and natural life in an interconnecting cycle. The opening line, “when god lets my body be” signifies the taking of ones’ last breath or giving way to death. The body will go through the process of decaying after the burial by returning to the earth. Through the decomposition process, the body will fertilize the soil and help to generate new life. Cummins even states “from each brave eye shall sprout a tree fruit that dangles therefrom” which signifies a new beginning. The tree is a symbol of life, with a connection being made between man and nature. The tree is strong and resilient, and its roots are anchored deep into the ground, producing fruit as a sign of life.…show more content…
In the line “the purple world will dance upon between my lips which did sing” infers time will take its toll and eventually death will lead to taking the last breath. The mouth is the central part of the body in which nutrients are taken to provide life, and the lips are used for communication. When “the purple world dances upon the mouth and lips,” a vital part of the body is taken away. The season of spring symbolizes new life, regeneration, growth, and rebirth. “A rose shall beget the spring that maidens whom passion wastes.” Is stating that when spring arrives after a long cold winter, it symbolizes life after death. The rose is a sign of love and fertility. The soil is fertile and the new tree has sprouted as it was created through
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