"in Just--" by e.e. cummings

This week in class, we discussed “in Just—" by e. e. cummings, which is a very interesting and insightful modern poem that depicts the pivotal moment of our childhood. The poem is visually very interesting and complex, almost as if the words are dancing across the page as if to signify the children in the poem playfully frolicking and leaping around. In analyzing this poem, I find that in an effort to vividly depict children’s transformation from lighthearted and jolly innocence to the sexual implication of adulthood, cummings explores the necessary and timely course of nature that every child endures. Moreover, I think in “in Just—,” cummings reiterates this momentous milestone in every child’s life also by emphasizing the seasonal aspect of this transition in the poem, which is springtime. This season definitely validates a sense of renewal, growth, and enlightenment that takes place throughout the poem for boys and girls.

Cummings vividly captures the fundamental moment in children’s lives by embodying the nature of this shift through varied structure and meaningful repetition. In the first stanza, cummings simply writes "in Just-/spring" which is such an impactful word in it of itself. Not only is this phrase alluding to the title of the poem, but it also possesses some level of ambiguity as we are not certain whether it means exactly or precisely in spring, or whether he means unjust spring, as if spring (and this sexual transformation) is unfair and undeserved. Then the way in which cummings arranges the structure of the phrase, “when the world is mud-/luscious” is unanticipated. Cummings’ clever arrangement of these words signify that “the world is mud-“ is somewhat given in a negative context, until it is paired with the word “luscious” which is more delightful and seems to be meant to encompass a childlike fantasy and playfulness in regards to spring. Then, we are introduced to the “little/lame balloonman” for the first time, who “whistles far and wee,” similar to the Pied Piper. Once the seemingly menacing and untrustworthy balloonman whistles, “eddieandbill come/ running from marbles,”which signifies their desertion of their innocence since they are running from their innocent childhood games and advancing towards the balloonman, which could denote their newfound sexuality.

In the next few stanzas, cummings reexamines the crucial and indispensable transition from youth to mature adulthood by employing repetition and altered structure. Cummings writes that the “world is puddle-“ which, like mud, also has a repulsive and unpleasant connotation. However, he goes on to clarify that it is “puddle-wonderful,” suddenly giving the word a whole new meaning, as it could suggest the enjoyable and joyful aspect of infancy and innocence, especially because “it’s spring.” Cummings purposefully incorporates repetition throughout the poem when he mentions “the queer/old balloonman,” which once again, is undermined by sexual implications as we get the sensation that this possibly homosexual, aged man is wicked and deceiving as he lures the children in. Subsequently, as soon as the balloonman sounds his whistle, “bettyandisbel come dancing/from hop-scotch,” which serves to manifest that the children are shedding their innocence and furthering themselves from their childish pursuits in order to encounter the balloonman, and therefore, their adult sexuality. Through varied structure and intricate repetition, cummings exemplifies the nature of children’s transformation from childhood to adulthood as they are led by the “goat-footed/balloonMan,” which could be an allusion to Pan, the Greek sex god. Overall, in “in Just—,”cummings presents the complexity of abandoning childish pursuits in order to achieve adulthood and sexual awakening as a paramount aspect of life.