Editing E. E. Cummings (section)

===Early years===
Edward Estlin Cummings was born on October 14, 1894, in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], to  Edward Cummings and Rebecca Haswell ({{nee|Clarke}}), a well-known [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] upper-class couple in the city. His father was a professor at [[Harvard University]] who later became nationally known as the minister of South Congregational Church (Unitarian) in [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]].<ref>Collins, Leo W. ''This is Our Church''. Boston, Massachusetts: Society of the First Church in Boston, 2005: 104.</ref> His mother, who loved to spend time with her children, played games with Edward and his sister, Elizabeth. From an early age, Cummings's parents supported his creative gifts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cummings/cummings_life.htm|title=E. E. Cummings' Life|work=english.illinois.edu|access-date=27 April 2016|archive-date=March 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325224309/http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cummings/cummings_life.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cummings wrote poems and drew as a child, and he often played outdoors with the other children who lived in his neighborhood. He grew up in the company of family friends such as the philosophers [[William James]] and [[Josiah Royce]]. Many of Cummings's summers were spent on [[Silver Lake (Madison, New Hampshire)|Silver Lake]] in [[Madison, New Hampshire]], where his father had built two houses along the eastern shore. The family ultimately purchased the nearby [[Joy Farm]] where Cummings had his primary summer residence.{{sfnp|Sawyer-Lauçanno|2004|p=10}}<ref>{{citation |date=n.d. |title=e. e. cummings (1894-1962) |url=https://www.nh.gov/nhsl/bookcenter/programs/spotlights/eecummings.html |work=The Center for the Book at New Hampshire State Library |series=Spotlight on New Hampshire Authors |access-date=August 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616181526/https://www.nh.gov/nhsl/bookcenter/programs/spotlights/eecummings.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He expressed [[transcendentalism|transcendental]] leanings his entire life. As he matured, Cummings moved to an [[I and Thou|"I, Thou"]] relationship with God. His journals are replete with references to ''"le bon Dieu,"'' as well as prayers for inspiration in his poetry and artwork (such as "Bon Dieu! may i some day do something truly great. amen."). Cummings "also prayed for strength to be his essential self ('may I be I is the only prayer—not may I be great or good or beautiful or wise or strong'), and for relief of spirit in times of depression ('almighty God! I thank thee for my soul; & may I never die spiritually into a mere mind through disease of loneliness')".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/cummings.html |title=E. E. Cummings: Poet And Painter |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060902151619/http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/cummings.html |archive-date=September 2, 2006 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Cummings wanted to be a poet from childhood and wrote poetry daily from age 8 to 22, exploring assorted forms. He studied [[Latin]] and [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] at [[Cambridge Latin High School]]. He attended [[Harvard University]], graduating with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree [[magna cum laude]] and was elected to the [[Phi Beta Kappa]] society in 1915. The following year, he received a [[Master of Arts]] degree from the university. During his studies at Harvard, he developed an interest in modern poetry, which ignored conventional grammar and syntax and aimed for a dynamic use of language. His first published poems appeared in ''Eight Harvard Poets'' (1917). Upon graduating, he worked for a book dealer.<ref name="fountn bio"/>
[[File:Harvard Monthly vol 56.jpg|thumb|right|Masthead from volume 56 of ''[[The Harvard Monthly]]''; Cummings was an editor and contributor to this literary journal while at Harvard]]