Poem Analysis - There Are So Many Tictoc

Introduction: Escaping the Tyranny of Time

E.E. Cummings' "There Are So Many Tictoc" is a playful yet profound meditation on the contrast between the artificial construct of time and the natural, timeless essence of love and spring. The poem opens with a mocking portrayal of clocks and their relentless ticking, then shifts to a celebration of spring as something unbound by such constraints. The tone moves from cynical observation to joyful liberation, culminating in a passionate declaration of love's indifference to the clock's dominion.

The All-Consuming Nature of Societal Time

The poem initially establishes a sense of oppression stemming from the ubiquitous presence of clocks. The repetition of "tictoc" and "tictic" emphasizes the insistent and intrusive nature of time as dictated by society. The lines "there are so many tictoc / clocks everywhere telling people / what toctic time it is" highlights the feeling of being constantly monitored and controlled by external schedules. Cummings uses playful distortion of the word "time" (e.g., "tictic instance") to subtly mock its rigid structure, suggesting its inherent absurdity when viewed outside the context of human convention. The phrase "five toc minutes toc / past six tic" further exaggerates this rigidity, making timekeeping seem almost nonsensical.

Spring: An Oasis of Freedom

The middle section of the poem offers a stark contrast to the clock-dominated world. Spring is presented as an unquantifiable, organic force that resists regulation. The lines "Spring is not regulated and does / not get out of order nor do / its hands a little jerking move / over numbers slowly" directly oppose the earlier depiction of clocks. Cummings emphasizes the naturalness of spring by stating, "we do not / wind it up it has no weights / springs wheels inside of / its slender self." This imagery suggests that spring is self-sufficient and intrinsically harmonious, needing no external mechanisms to function. The phrase "slender self" personifies spring, hinting at its delicate beauty and inherent vitality.

Love Beyond the Clock's Grasp

The final stanza connects the freedom of spring to the power of love. The parenthetical phrase "(So,when kiss Spring comes / we'll kiss each kiss other on kiss the kiss / lips)" creates a sense of intimacy and anticipation. The repetition of "kiss" amplifies the passion and joy associated with love, suggesting an abundance that transcends the limitations of measured time. The culminating lines, "because tic clocks toc don't make / a toctic difference / to kisskiss you and to / kiss me," directly refute the clock's authority. The use of "kisskiss" further emphasizes the intimacy. Love, like spring, exists outside the realm of schedules and deadlines, creating a space of freedom where only connection and emotion matter.

Concluding Thoughts: A Timeless Embrace

"There Are So Many Tictoc" ultimately celebrates the power of nature and love to transcend the artificial constraints of time. By juxtaposing the mechanical rigidity of clocks with the organic freedom of spring and the passionate intimacy of love, Cummings suggests that true fulfillment lies in embracing experiences that are unquantifiable and immeasurable. The poem invites us to question the dominance of time in our lives and to seek out moments of connection and joy that exist beyond the clock's relentless ticking.