Grasshopper

Jaws, palps, compound eyes,

Pair of jumping jointed legs

Spiracles to breathe.

Wings of burnt amber

Two olfactory sensors

Grasshopper revealed.

After visiting the Pompeii Exhibit at the Boston Science Museum, Mag and I spent some time in the various Exhibit Halls.Â In the Model Exhibit, we found this giant grasshopper.Â I liked how they peeled away the exoskeleton so one could see the complex inner mechanics of this insect.

Following is a poem about a grasshopper written by e.e. cummings.

"r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r"


Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Â Â Â Â r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â who
 Â Â a)s w(e loo)k
 Â Â upnowgath
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PPEGORHRASS
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â eringint(o-
 Â Â aThe):l
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â eA
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â !p:
 SÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â a
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (r
 Â Â rIvInGÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .gRrEaPsPhOs)
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â to
 Â Â rea(be)rran(com)gi(e)ngly
 Â Â ,grasshopper;

If you are at all like me, reading this the first time, you probably are wondering "Is this really a poem?"Â It appears to be nothing more then a jumble of letters and punctuation.Â I really didn't have a clue how to dissect this piece and so I turned to google and found this site.Â After reading several analysis, understanding came.

Comments: 26

Audrey Howitt Jan 23, 2012, 8:16pm UTC

Nice!!

elizabeth evans Jan 23, 2012, 9:04pm UTC

Thanks, Audrey.

reply to this comment

stephen berwaldt Jan 23, 2012, 8:57pm UTC

Nice haiku, EE. I like the e. e. cummings poem, but am much too tired to figure it out. Send me an email when you do! :)

Thank you submitting to the Gatherâ€™s Luminous Writers and Artists.

elizabeth evans Jan 23, 2012, 9:16pm UTC

Crazy how the mind works. Yesterday, Mag and I were once more treading through Forest Hills Cemetery revisiting some of the graves we saw in the fall and once more trying to find e.e. cumming's resting place. (He just doesn't seem to be where the map says he is). Anyhow, I was thinkin' about how I might use the grasshopper image and then I remembered how he wrote a poem about a grasshopper and I thought why not put the two together. So I googled the poem and it didn't make any more sense to me then it did 45 or more years ago when I was in college. If you go to the link I provided when you are not too tired, you can read what the experts say.

reply to this comment

JOHN BECK Jan 23, 2012, 10:11pm UTC

I like your poem, and the E.E. Cummings is a great puzzle.

elizabeth evans Jan 24, 2012, 8:02am UTC

Although my poem is a haiku, it could well have been "a list poem". Where as I thought of the physical attributes of the insect, ee explored the essence of it in motion.

reply to this comment

Janet "Jax" B. Jan 23, 2012, 10:27pm UTC

Very interesting. I would like to see the giant grasshopper. I have a photo of my son on a giant ant.

elizabeth evans Jan 24, 2012, 8:04am UTC

Besides the big models, the Exhibit area had many hands-on activities that were totally engaging for the mind to explore.

Janet "Jax" B. Jan 24, 2012, 3:41pm UTC

That would be so much fun. I really love hands-on stuff ('cause I guess I'm just a big kid)

reply to this comment

Heidi S. Jan 23, 2012, 11:51pm UTC

Thanks for that link! Sure helps to figure out the poem. Nice post.

elizabeth evans Jan 24, 2012, 9:36am UTC

I'm with you, Heidi, if not for the links, I would have never figured it out!

reply to this comment

J. Reid Jan 24, 2012, 7:04am UTC

I can vaguely recall the last time I was at the Science Museum, they always have fantastic displays and interactive rooms for the more than curious. Great capture. Oh, I do recall the last trip I made, it was for the skin exhibit, the anatomy of the human form under the skin. Smiles...

Thank you for submitting to: Not Gathering Dust!

elizabeth evans Jan 24, 2012, 8:13am UTC

I haven't been to the Science Museum in years....since the boys were small. Two summers ago on a sunny day, Mag and I took the Duck Tour that starts there and at the time I told him that we could come back some rainy day.

J. Reid Jan 24, 2012, 10:20am UTC

It was well worth the trip!

reply to this comment

Diane Huizenga Jan 24, 2012, 10:23am UTC

Very interesting shot

elizabeth evans Feb 2, 2012, 9:03am UTC

Thanks, Diane.

reply to this comment

Vicki R. Jan 24, 2012, 12:51pm UTC

I've only been to a Science Museum once, in my youth. Never saw anything like this. Love it!!

elizabeth evans Feb 2, 2012, 9:04am UTC

I was really impressed with the new exhibits at the Science Museum....lots of hands-on activities for kids.

reply to this comment

Jane M. Feb 1, 2012, 10:02pm UTC

Wow. Seeing that in person would certainly make an impression. I enjoyed the poems and the link to information about the cummings poem. I suppose the grasshopper knows where its jump will find it but the wobbly way they get there has always made me wonder.