“Next to of course god America i” is one of the greatest poems in the history of America, and every reader always defines different meanings of the story, making it multifaced and mesmerizing. It is important to read the poem several times to understand its main essence, get a different spectrum of emotions, and express diverse feelings. With each read, the reading skill increases, and people discover deeper meanings of the world around them.
The first impression of the poem was mixed as many words and metaphors were incomprehensible. However, after reading “next to of course god America i” several times, I managed to find logical connections between lines. The more I read the poem, the more meanings it acquires, and my attitude to this idea changes for the better. The author’s dedication to America makes me look at the world with different eyes and find the best sides of this country. The first reading of the poem raised many questions, which were more about the meanings of words used in the masterpiece. Nevertheless, by doing research, I managed to find a deeper understanding of the main idea. I believe that the author wanted to encourage readers and make them more integrated into the poem. The main reason for this action could be the desire to influence peoples’ minds and cause them to do rash acts.
The poem has a positive effect on readers as it shows the strength of the American people and what they can do for their country. “Next to of course god america i love you land of pilgrims” is an introductory sentence of the poem, and it shows the whole idea of the writing (Cummings). This part gives a positive first impression of the poem and allows readers to delve more into the topic. I was impressed by the part which describes the admiration for America’s heroes as the author states that respect must come in different languages, and even ‘deafanddumb’ people have the opportunity to express their loyalty. Even though many parts of the poem can be understood differently, every person can find specific details that impress them the most, and their opinion will not judge them.
The poem’s main message is to show America and its society from the positive side and explain to readers how the formation of the country happened. Moreover, metaphors and words that are not used in every day life force readers’ brains to study this poem and explore the meanings of the words set forth by the author. “Even deafanddumb thy sons acclaim your glorious name by gory by jingo by gee by gosh by gum” is one of the most complicated sentences of the poem as not everybody can understand the meaning of the names to be admired. By completing small research, it becomes clear that these names were famous in the past, and our ancestors could immediately understand the meaning of these parts of the poem.
To conclude everything that has been stated so far, “next to of course god of america i” is one of the most famous poems written by Cummings. Even nowadays, people understand its meaning in different ways, and there is still no specific idea that every reader would accept. However, that could be an author’s idea to make people think differently and decide for themselves the meaning which will affect their lives and the view of the world around them.
Work Cited
Cummings, Edward Estlin. “Next to of course god america i,” 1926.