Basket

speak, sir, and be wise.
Speak choosing your words, sir, like an old woman over a bushel of apples.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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White Shoulders

Your white shoulders
I remember
And your shrug of laughter.

Low laughter
Shaken slow
From your white shoulders.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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Flux

Sand of the sea runs red
Where the sunset reaches and quivers.
Sand of the sea runs yellow
Where the moon slants and wavers.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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I Sang

I sang to you and the moon
But only the moon remembers.
I sang
O reckless free-hearted
free-throated rythms,
Even the moon remembers them
And is kind to me.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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In a Back Alley

Remembrance for a great man is this.
The newsies are pitching pennies.
And on the copper disk is the man’s face.
Dead lover of boys, what do you ask for now?

poem by Carl Sandburg
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Sea-Wash

The sea-wash never ends.
The sea-wash repeats, repeats.
Only old songs? Is that all the sea knows?
Only the old strong songs?
Is that all?
The sea-wash repeats, repeats.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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Bringers

Cover me over
In dusk and dust and dreams.

Cover me over
And leave me alone.

Cover me over,
You tireless, great.

Hear me and cover me,
Bringers of dusk and dust and dreams.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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June

Paula is digging and shaping the loam of a salvia,
Scarlet Chinese talker of summer.
Two petals of crabapple blossom blow fallen in Paula's
hair,
And fluff of white from a cottonwood.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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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.

poem by Carl Sandburg
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