Poem Analysis - The Sky Was

A Sugary Dreamscape

E.E. Cummings' "The Sky Was" presents a vibrant, almost childlike vision of the world. The poem blends sensory experiences, primarily sight and taste, to create a whimsical and dreamlike atmosphere. Initially, the tone is playful and inviting, but a darker undercurrent emerges in the second stanza. The poem offers a unique perspective on the world, one filtered through the lens of imagination and unconventional language.

Chromatic Delights: The Sweetness of the Sky

One prominent theme is the celebration of sensory experience. Cummings focuses on the visual and gustatory, painting a picture of a sky that is not just seen but also tasted. Words like "candy," "luminous," "edible," and specific flavors like "lemons" and "chocolate" evoke a synesthetic reaction, blurring the lines between sight and taste. This creates a sense of childlike wonder and immersion, inviting the reader to experience the world in a more vivid and immediate way. The sky isn't just blue; it's a sugary, delicious landscape.

Industrial Disruption: Darkness Beneath the Sweetness

However, this sweetness is juxtaposed with the introduction of the "locomotive" in the second stanza. This introduces a theme of industrial encroachment or perhaps even a corruption of innocence. The locomotive, a symbol of industrial power and progress, "spout[s] violets." This image is paradoxical: the harsh, mechanical locomotive produces something delicate and beautiful. But this could also be seen as the locomotive polluting the sky with its "violets," indicating a loss of natural beauty and the imposition of the artificial onto the natural world.

Colors as Emotions: The Palette of Feeling

Color imagery plays a crucial role in the poem. The use of "pinks shy lemons greens coo 1 choc olate s" isn't just descriptive; it evokes specific emotions and associations. "Pinks shy" suggests tenderness and innocence, while "lemons" might imply a hint of sourness or wit. "Greens" could represent growth or nature, and "chocolate" introduces a sense of richness and indulgence. The "vi o lets" spouted by the locomotive, while beautiful, may also represent something artificial, even poisonous, contrasting with the naturally derived sweetness of the first stanza. The colors work together to create a complex emotional landscape, mirroring the complexities of the world itself. Is the introduction of the locomotive and its violets a commentary on the industrial revolution's effect on the sweetness of nature, or is it meant to simply introduce another layer to a complicated, colourful world?

A World Transformed

In conclusion, "The Sky Was" is a poem that invites us to see the world with fresh eyes, blurring the lines between sensory experience and imagination. It uses vivid imagery and unconventional language to create a dreamlike atmosphere, initially celebrating sweetness and color but later hinting at a darker undercurrent of industrial influence. Ultimately, the poem's significance lies in its ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, prompting us to reconsider our perception of the world around us and notice the often overlooked beauty and complexities of the everyday.