Sound in "Buffalo Bills" by E.E. Cummings

 

“Buffalo Bill’s” by E.E. Cummings, uses sound to convey the rapid pace of Buffalo Bill’s life and just how inevitable death is. One of the most interesting ways that Cummings accelerates the reader to this conclusion is the unexpected way in how they space and break the lines within the poem. The swift alliteration of words like “oneworththreefourfive” is almost like the fast clack of a gunshot; something Buffalo Bill is known for. Another sound that Cummings uses, “a watersmooth-silver stallion” is quite smooth, like riding a horse out west which is a clever use of alliteration. One of the things that stood out to me in the poem was the pause when “Jesus” was mentioned. I think that this is when the poem turns and goes from the fun and chaos of life to the shift that death is inevitable, and it shifts the entire mood of the poem. “misterdeath” is so gloomy and dread-filled, even the lack of punctuation is telling. Punctuation doesn’t matter in death; so, the inevitable end of the poem is like a metaphor for death for Buffalo Bill. Other things that are notable about this poem is the structure. When you look at the figure of a man that Buffalo Bill is, he is almost always unpredictable; a hero to some, a villain to others. The fact that the poem isn’t traditionally left-aligned and more sporadic really captures the man that Buffalo Bill is.

Comments

  1. DaysieOctober 28, 2024 at 9:32 AM

    I really liked your analysis of this poem. I also enjoyed the use of sound through the pacing and line breaks in this poem. It really did feel fast, and honestly made me feel mentally about of breath while reading it. Kind of like your holding your breath without realizing it. Also your catch on the punctuation was great, I didn’t notice that part as I often leave out punctuation in poetry. Great catch.

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