Three Poems
SANDBURG, CARL
Three Poems by Carl Sandburg Here we present three poems—never before published in any form—by Carl Sandburg, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday. The latest collection of his poetry,...
...INSTRUCTIONS I commend you to George Washington Hill...
...The latest collection of his poetry, history and prose is The Sandburg Range...
...Name us a king so keen, so fast, so hard, he shall last forever— and all the yes-men square shooters telling the king, "Okay Boss, you shall last forever...
...Irritate em...
...John P. Altgeld says the old Great Clock is ticking...
...Dying, his instructions are remembered...
...Tell the stonecutters to cut these lines deep in the tomb of George Washington Hill...
...and then some...
...In billions and zillions he sold cigarettes...
...telling it to an onion king, a pecan king, a zipper king or a chewing gum king, any consolidated amalgamated syndicate king— listening to the yes-men telling him he shall live forever, he is so keen, so fast, so hard, an okay Boss who shall never bite the dust, never go down and be a sandwich for the worms like us—the customers, like us—the customers...
...What for...
...They'll forget the irritation and remember the name of your product...
...ALTGELD Listen to the ticking of the old Great Clock...
...NAME US A KING Name us a king who shall live forever— a peanut king, a potato king, a gasket king, a brass-tack king, a wall-paper king with a wall-paper crown and a wall-paper queen with wall-paper jewels...
...Living, he gave instructions...
...He told the copywriters and radio gabbers: "Irritate 'em...
...Backward and forward, Day and night, Year in, year out, John P. Altgeld says the old Great Clock is ticking...
...Hammer your way through hell and back and get a million dollars...
Vol. 41 • January 1958 • No. 3
