if up’s the word

~ E.E. Cummings (1894-1962)

if up’s the word;and a world grows greener
minute by second and most by more—
if death is the loser and life is the winner
(and beggars are rich but misers are poor)
—let’s touch the sky:
            with a to and a fro
(and a here there where) and away we go

in even the laziest creature among us
a wisdom no knowledge can kill is astir—
now dull eyes are keen and now keen eyes are keener
(for young is the year,for young is the year)
—let’s touch the sky:
            with a great(and a gay
and a steep) deep rush through amazing day

it’s brains without hearts have set saint against sinner;
put gain over gladness and joy under care—
let’s do as an earth which can never do wrong does
(minute by second and most by more)
—let’s touch the sky:
            with a strange(and a true)
and a climbing fall into far near blue

if beggars are rich(and a robin will sing his
robin a song) but misers are poor—
let’s love until noone could quite be(and young is
the year,dear)as living as i’m and as you’re
—let’s touch the sky:
            with a you and  a me
and an every(who’s any who’s some)one who’s we

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Annual PSA: Note on the capitalization of E.E. Cummings’ name