Carl Sandburg (1878–1967)

It’s obvious from this collection why Sandburg counts as one of the best-loved American poets of the mid-20th century. Uncompromising but very approachable poems tackling the Big Topics (love, death, etc.) in disarmingly simple language. His free verse veers into Whitmanesque rant in one or two places, notably the first-person list poem “Timesweep” that ends the collection, but that seems to be forgivable for an American poet, and he does also demonstrate quite clearly that he can do show more short and pithy when he wants to.
There are two wonderful takes on the old chestnut “what is love?” in the title poem and “Little word, little white bird”, there are a few glimpses of Lake Michigan scenery, and there is a surprising amount of mineral imagery going on — Sandburg clearly had a thing about metals and precious stones. Very enjoyable, and a book I will certainly dip into again in the future.

Is the key to love in passion, knowledge, affection?
All three—along with moonlight, roses, groceries,
givings and forgivings, gettings and forgettings,
keepsakes and room rent,
pearls of memory along with ham and eggs.

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This book was challenging and fun. The book consists of a collection of poems written by Carl Sandburg accompanied by the illustrations of Istvan Banyai. Many of the poems contain a focus on simple, individual subject matters such as common body parts (eyes, fingers, nose, ears), manners, chairs, clocks and the sky. These poems often questioned the nature of what these subjects are by contrasting their meanings with false desciptions. When Sandburg would say what something isn't, Istvan show more Banyai would draw these negations as literal and pair them with another illustrations of what the poem says they are. This exemplified how the poems and illustrations worked together to create a deeper level of suggestion that both mediums could not create separately. Sandburg's poems were delightful, funny, and thought provoking. Banyai's illustrations were innovative, surreal, and appropriately suggestive. I thought this was a great book and a wonderfully successful collaboration. show less

Don't let the mediocre rating fool you -- this book has moments of breathtaking beauty, sandwiched between repetitive and even silly declarations of love between Carl Sandburg and his future wife.

This collection of letters covering the 6-month courtship of Sandburg and Lilian Steichen, plus some poems, fragments of poems, and early versions of poems never subsequently anthologized, breathes with the head-over-heels enthusiasm of young love. As such, it can be jejune and even cloying at times show more -- how often can one read that the object of affection is "beautiful", "perfect", "brave", "genius", "loving", and so forth before one's blood sugar level reaches dangerous heights?

However, it is well worth keeping by anyone interested in Sandburg's life and work. When they met in 1908, he was working as an organizer and recruiter for the Socialist Democratic Party. His (ultimately, their) dedication to the reforms then being promoted by the party (mostly dealing with wage, hour, and safety issues for laborers) form most of the book not devoted to professions of passion.

What makes it valuable are the otherwise unavailable poems, scattered through Sandburg's letters to Lilian, with a few published in one of the appendices (along with some of his SDP writing). Most readers are familiar with Sandburg's "city of big shoulders" writing; fewer know that he could also write deeply passionate love poems. To see that ability emerging in a young man barely 30 years old, is deeply moving.

Make space on your poetry shelf for this one. show less

Sandburg’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln is detailed, expressive, poignant, and at many times, repetitive and rambling. In the Prairie Years Sandburg, despite filling the book with long and meandering passages, has an overall lyrical language which is to be expected from a writer who is a talented poet first and foremost. He introduces our nation’s sixteenth president as being a captivating and complicated human being long before Lincoln entered the White House. Sandburg starts Lincoln's show more story by portraying him as a quiet and sensitive child whose dreams were very important to him; catching the symbolisms of life at an early age. Later, as an adult, Lincoln would see his dreams and symbolisms as a connection to his future. As a teenager, learning became Lincoln’s obsession. He was said to always have a book in his hand; that he was constantly reading. I have an image of him studying big law books while plowing his father’s fields. All that book reading didn't mean Lincoln was a soft sissy, though. Lincoln was the Superman of his day. As Sandburg frequently points out, because Abe was so tall and strong with “bulldog courage,” people were constantly challenging him to foot races, wrestling matches, and fist fights: anything to prove their strength against him. Sandburg seems proud to report most times these challengers lost.
In the midst of industry's wheels just starting to turn, slavery was seen as a profitable business. At the same time, at the age of twenty-three, Lincoln’s political wheels were just starting to turn as well. He wasn’t interested in drinking or fishing. He wanted to continue to learn the law. He became a postmaster so he could have access to newspaper. In the first installment of Sandburg’s biography, we learn Lincoln grew into a complicated man with many sides. Lincoln the storyteller, always telling jokes and stories. Lincoln the neighbor, ready to help a friend, stranger, or animal in need. Lincoln the silent and sad, afraid to carry a pocketknife for fear of harming himself. Sandburg quotes Lincoln as once saying, “I stay away because I am conscious I should not know how to behave myself” (p 22). show less