Analysis

1		Explain the contributions of rhythm to theme and tone in Cummings' two lyric poems, "Thy Fingers Make Early Flowers Of" and "When God Lets My Body Be."
2		What functions do the verbal apostrophes play in these lyric poems?

Interpretation

3		Do Cummings' lyric poems reflect a death wish, or if not, what role does death seem to play for the speakers?
4		Trace the theme of mortality in Cummings' poetry. For example, what are some possible interpretations of the references to death as "defunct" and "Mr. Death" in "Buffalo Bill's"?

Evaluation

5		Should E. E. Cummings's own war enlistments belie the sentiment of "I Sing of Olaf Glad and Big"? In what sense is the theme of poem ironic?
6		Are the juxtapositions of words and the interplays of rhyme and rhythm in "Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town" a matter only of playful diction, or do they function in a more significant way? Think about Cummings' themes and ideas in formulating your answer.