Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg is the poet I chose to do my oral presentation on so I happen to know quite a bit about him. Carl Sandburg was very much into the politics of chicago life and work place. The poem Chicago is a great example of this in that it starts by listing out some of the difficult jobs of this time period. He then goes on to say how wicked these jobs are and how he has seen it first hand. "And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again" (lines 8 &9). He continues describing how awful the working conditions are until he gets to his turning point. "Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning..." (lines 13&14). Sandburg then turns to his climax stating that these workers are "Fierce as a dog with toungue lapping for action". He basically says how hard working these men are but how they love it because they are tough and can do what other men in simple cities can not. "Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle, Braggina and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse and under his ribs the heart of the people" (lines 26-28). Sandburg finishes the poem by taking you back to his opening lines. "proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight handler to the Nation". (lines 31&32). I believe that Carl Sandburg new first hand what is was like to work in these hard conditions for he quit school in the eighth grade and began working. He isn't complaining about how hard the work was but instead explaining and showing how rewarding it is and how proud a person is to have pushed through these rough conditions. For those who read my blog..I hope you have enjoyed Sandburgs poem and will learn more about him in my presentation.

W.B. Yeats

When I began reading the first couple poems that were assigned to us, I felt as though yeats was very alone and almost depressed. Almost as though he has been hurt by someone he loved or lost his spouse. But then I came upon the poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus". This poem shows a light shining through, a sense of happiness that I did not feel in the poems before it. Yeats writes about how a "glimmering girl, with apple blossoms in her hair" called out his name. The words he chose to use in that sentence alone give a reader such a vivid picture in their head not only of what this girl looks like but the way he is feeling about her as well. The poem then reads on that "she ran into the brightened air" as if she is playful and almost flirty. As you read on it states that he although he is not at a prime age he will search  for this girl and "kiss her lips and take her hands and walk among the dappled grass". He simply paints such a happy picture in my head of what it will be like when he finds this girl and the excitement he will feel.


There is one other poem I would like to point out by Mr. Yeats. "He wishes for the Clothes of Heaven". As you all have read it talks about how if he could have he heavens embroidered cloths that he would spread them under your feet. The next lines goes on "But I, being poor, have only my dreams, I have spread my dreams under your feet; tead softly because you tred on my dreams". This is so powerful to me. This is so much more than a dream to make clothes in heaven. Yeats is telling someone that if he could he would give this person the world but because he can't he has laid everything he has right infront of this person to do with as they please. This includes his dreams and I can say that this is my new favorite quote,"tread softly becuase you tread on my dreams". This person that he is giving his life, his dreams to, could quite frankly ruin it all and I find it so passionate that he is willing to take the chance. The quote alone leaves a lasting impression in my mind just as I hope it will in yours.

Week 1

The poem I would like to talk about is "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Housman. This was my favorite poem out of the poems that were assigned this week because it reminded me a lot of my home town. The first stanza talks about a person winning a race for his town and how the citizens were so proud and brought him shoulder- high. Back home sports were very important to the town. When a person won at state or took home a title it rang through the whole town. But there is a line that states as follows; "smart lad, to slip betimes away from fields where glory does not stay". The town I come from is very small town where drama, controversy and rumors thrive. Sure you can have the glory when you do such a thing as take a title but truth is the glory fades and the town will soon find something new to talk about. "Smart lad, to slip betimes away..." I feel close to this quote for the simple fact that I got out of the town where I made my mark. I chose to go some place bigger where I can better myself. "The name died before the man" The glory will fade before the man. This is true not only in my town but anywhere.