Into the Smiting
Into the Smiting - meaning Summary
Desire as Self-erasure
Cummings' poem stages a tense encounter between speaker and a powerful force that both attracts and threatens. The tree-image and bodily language suggest desire mingled with a wish for annihilation: the speaker welcomes overpowering contact that will consume their vitality. The tone is urgent and paradoxical, admitting both resistance and invitation as the speaker invites the destructive beloved to hasten and take their "enchanting leaves."
Read Complete Analysesinto the smiting sky tense with blend ing the tree leaps a stiffened exquisite i wait the sweet annihilation of swift flesh i make me stern against your charming strength O haste annihilator drawing into you my enchanting leaves
Feel free to be first to leave comment.