Poem Analysis - A Wind Has Blown The Rain Away And Blown

A Landscape Stripped Bare: Introduction

E.E. Cummings' "a wind has blown the rain away and blown" is a poem of stark transition and questioning. It evokes a scene of desolation after a powerful wind has swept everything away, leaving only the bare essentials. The tone initially appears bleak and somewhat melancholic, reflective of loss, but it shifts into a more frenzied and questioning mode as the speaker directly addresses the wind. This is followed by a resigned observation. The poem explores themes of loss, nature's power, and the cyclical nature of existence.

Autumnal Loss and the Enduring Self

One prominent theme is loss. The wind's destructive force serves as a metaphor for the inevitable losses in life, symbolized by the removal of rain, sky, and leaves. The speaker's personal connection to this theme is established with the line, "I think i too have known autumn too long," implying a prolonged experience with periods of decline or grief. This personal reflection connects the external landscape to an internal state, suggesting that the speaker identifies with the stripping away process occurring in nature. The image of the standing trees emphasizes a remaining core self, even after loss.

The Uncontrollable Force of Nature's Fury

The poem vividly portrays the power of nature, specifically through the personification of the wind. The wind is not merely an element but an active agent with the capacity to destroy and transform. It's even addressed directly as "wind wind wind," highlighting its central role. The wind is further attributed human characteristics, with the speaker questioning, "did you love somebody/and have you the petal of somewhere in your heart/pinched from dumb summer?" This suggests the wind's actions, while destructive, might stem from a deeper, perhaps sorrowful, motivation. The "crazy daddy/of death" image is a potent symbol of the wind's destructive potential, linking it to mortality and the inevitable cycle of decay.

Doom and Acceptance: Seeing and Seeing Again

Another key theme is the acceptance of inevitable change and 'doom's integration.' The poem circles back to the image of the stripped landscape, repeating "a wind has blown the rain/away and the leaves and the sky and the/trees stand." This repetition emphasizes the completeness of the transformation and suggests a kind of resigned acceptance. The phrase "Let us as we have seen see/doom's integration" is particularly significant. It implies that the speaker and perhaps the reader, having witnessed this destruction, should now understand and integrate the concept of doom—death or finality—into their understanding of the world. This integration is not necessarily pessimistic but rather a recognition of the natural order.

The Moonlit Trees: A Symbol of Hope or Desolation?

The final image of the "trees, suddenly wait against the moon's face" is rich with symbolic potential. The moon often represents cycles, change, and the hidden aspects of life. The waiting trees, silhouetted against the moon, could symbolize resilience and patience, a quiet endurance in the face of adversity. However, the phrase "suddenly wait" also suggests a sense of anticipation, perhaps tinged with anxiety. Are they waiting for something new to grow, or are they simply awaiting the next destructive force? The ambiguity of this final image allows for multiple interpretations, leaving the reader to contemplate the poem's ultimate message.

Final Thoughts: Enduring Through Change

"A wind has blown the rain away and blown" is a powerful meditation on loss, nature, and the cyclical nature of existence. Through vivid imagery and a shift in tone, Cummings crafts a poem that explores the destructive force of change and the possibility of acceptance. The enduring image of the trees, standing bare against the moon, serves as a reminder of the resilience of the self and the potential for beauty, or at least continued existence, even in the face of inevitable loss. The poem is not about despair but about the integration of "doom," the acceptance of endings, into our understanding of life's ongoing cycles.