“in just” by E.E. Cummings

1. “in just” by E.E. Cummings Perla Castro

2. Diction • The word choice used in this poem is very playful, technical, negative, positive, and cheerful. The poet is describing children’s spring playtime with the arrival of the “balloonman”. The language is descriptive such as “puddle-wonderful”, “running from marbles”, and whistles. This illustrate the positive in the poem. The negative is when the poet starts describing the balloon man as “old”, “goat-footed” and “lame.”

3. Imagery • The poet appeals the readers sight, and sound. • “mud-luscious”, “puddle-wonderful”, “spring” and “hop scotch and jump rope” illustrate the scenery created in the poem with the kids playing and their surroundings. • “whistles” is repeated throughout the poem making the reader imagine the balloon man whistling to the children’s attention.

4. Details • The poem theme is surfaced on spring time with children at play with a balloon man coming by to get their attention. The allusion in this poem is the children's innocence when playing out in the spring with the precaution of the “balloon man” that could be potential danger to them.

5. Language • The overall language used in this poem is figurative, clear, plain, and ironic. • It is ironic for a person who is danger to children to be called a “balloonman.” The different adjectives portrayed the dangers and weirdness . • “little lame” • “queer old” • “goat-footed” • The figurative language is towards the meaning of spring and its innocence to scene that is brought up. • “bettyandisabel” • “hop-scotch” • “world” • “mud-luscious”

6. Sentence Structure • The poem’s sentence and stanza structure is very loose and not stable like that of a child’s mind. Some of the sentences and words have more spaces than others or none. There are also gaps in between words like if there was a breath to be taking before the narrator keep going. Between large gaps the tone would change from positive to negative.