On National Poetry Day, let's remember a strange legacy from twentieth century American poet E.E. Cummings. Through a bizarre set of circumstances, an important collection of paintings by Cummings now live in a tiny gallery in a small Upstate New York canal town.
Are you surprised that Cummings was a painter? Indeed. In fact, he thought his artwork was better than his poetry. For the story (albeit dated) behind the paintings, clickhere.
Since that report first aired on NPR, many of the artworks in question have been restored and now are on permanent display in a specially-constructed art gallery on the campus of SUNY Brockport.
E.E. Cummings' other great gift to the universe was a treasure trove of poems that have inspired countless composers. Eric Whitacre, for one.
