Tree (symbol)
The “tree,” as the speaker quite straightforwardly states, is a symbol for life. The speaker discusses three different parts of the tree: its root, bud, and “sky.” The “root” of the tree called life would be the foundation for our being; the “bud” growing out of this tree would be the consequence of life; the “sky” or canopy of a tree would refer to our destinations, aspirations, and the meanings we assign to existence.
The speaker equates their love for the addressee to each of these parts. Thus, they argue that love is the basis, outcome, and aim of life. In love, life also grows, beyond human expectation and understanding. By using the tree as a symbol of life, the speaker moves from an expression of love to a broader contemplation of existence itself.
Sun and Moon (symbol)
The sun and moon are symbols of artmaking, time, and eternity. The addressee is an artistic stimulus for the speaker, just as many poets, musicians, and artists were able to find inspiration in the sun and moon. The addressee’s existence is a basis for the speaker’s conception of time, just as the days and months in the year are based on solar and lunar cycles. Finally, the speaker’s love for the addressee is eternal, like the sun and moon.
Celestial Objects (motif)
The poem not only uses the sun and moon as symbols, but goes on to use celestial objects in general as a motif. In addition to the solar and lunar imagery, we see mentions of “the sky of the sky,” and read that love is “the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart.” The sky is often associated with the divine, and stars with fate. By incorporating these astronomical images, Cummings explores the heavenly, transcendental, eternal, and unfathomable. The sky, stars, sun, and moon are beings that are not only physically beyond our reach, but also entities that are somewhat beyond full human comprehension—like the mysteries of life and love.
