Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

Cool Tombs

When Abraham Lincoln was shoveled into the tombs he forgotthe copperheads and the assassin . . . in the dust, in thecool tombs.And Ulysses Grant lost..

© Carl Sandburg

Clocks

HERE is a face that says half-past seven the same way whether a murder or awedding goes on, whether a funeral or a picnic crowd passes.A tall one I..

© Carl Sandburg

Clinton South Of Polk

I WANDER down on Clinton street south of PolkAnd listen to the voices of Italian children quarreling.It is a cataract of coloraturaAnd I could sleep..

© Carl Sandburg

Clean Hands

IT is something to face the sun and know you are free.To hold your head in the shafts of daylight slanting the earthAnd know your heart has kept a..

© Carl Sandburg

Clark Street Bridge

Dust of the feetAnd dust of the wheels,Wagons and people going,All day feet and wheels.Now. . .. . Only stars and mistA lonely policeman,Two cabaret..

© Carl Sandburg

Circles Of Doors

I LOVE him, I love him, ran the patter of her lipsAnd she formed his name on her tongue and sangAnd she sent him word she loved him so much,So much..

© Carl Sandburg

Chords

IN the morning, a Sunday morning, shadows of sea and adumbrants of rock inher eyes ... horseback in leather boots and leather gauntlets by the sea.In..

© Carl Sandburg

Choose

The single clenched fist lifted and ready,Or the open asking hand held out and waiting.Choose:For we meet by one or the other.

© Carl Sandburg

Choices

They offer you many things,I a few.Moonlight on the play of fountains at nightWith water sparkling a drowsy monotone,Bare-shouldered, smiling women..

© Carl Sandburg

Child Moon

The child's wonderAt the old moonComes back nightly.She points her fingerTo the far silent yellow thingShining through the branchesFiltering on the..

© Carl Sandburg

Child Margaret

THE CHILD Margaret begins to write numbers on a Saturday morning, the firstnumbers formed under her wishing child fingers.All the numbers come..

© Carl Sandburg

Child

The young child, Christ, is straight and wiseAnd asks questions of the old men, questionsFound under running water for all childrenAnd found under..

© Carl Sandburg

Chicks

THE CHICK in the egg picks at the shell, cracks open one oval world, and entersanother oval world.'Cheep... cheep... cheep' is the salutation of the..

© Carl Sandburg

Chicago Poet

I saluted a nobody.I saw him in a looking-glass.He smiled--so did I.He crumpled the skin on his forehead, frowning--so did I.Everything I did he..

© Carl Sandburg

Chicago

Hog Butcher for the World,Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;Stormy, husky, brawling,City of the Big..

© Carl Sandburg

Chasers

THE SEA at its worst drives a white foam up,The same sea sometimes so easy and rocking with green mirrors.So you were there when the white foam was..

© Carl Sandburg

Chamfort

There's Chamfort. He’s a sample.Locked himself in his library with a gun,Shot off his nose and shot out his right eye.And this Chamfort knew how to..

© Carl Sandburg

Cartoon

I AM making a Cartoon of a Woman. She is the People.She is the Great Dirty Mother.And Many Children hang on her Apron, crawl at herFeet, snuggle at..

© Carl Sandburg

Carlovingian Dreams

COUNT these reminiscences like money.The Greeks had their picnics under another name.The Romans wore glad rags and told their neighbors, 'What of it?..

© Carl Sandburg

Calls

BECAUSE I have called to youas the flame flamingo calls,or the want of a spotted hawkis called-because in the duskthe warblers shoot the..

© Carl Sandburg

California City Landscape

On a mountain-side the real estate agentsPut up signs marking the city lots to be sold there.A man whose father and mother were IrishRan a goat farm..

© Carl Sandburg

Cahoots

PLAY it across the table.What if we steal this city blind?If they want any thing let 'em nail it down.Harness bulls, dicks, front office men,And the..

© Carl Sandburg

Cadenza

THE KNEESof this proud womanare bone.The elbowsof this proud womanare bone.The summer-white starsand the winter-white starsnever stop circlingaround..

© Carl Sandburg

Caboose Thoughts

IT'S going to come out all right-do you know?The sun, the birds, the grass-they know.They get along-and we'll get along.Some days will be rainy and..

© Carl Sandburg

Buttons

I have been watching the war map slammed up for advertising in front of thenewspaper office.Buttons—red and yellow buttons—blue and black buttons—are..

© Carl Sandburg