Analysis Questions
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 Questions
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 Questions
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.