Carl August Sandburg, born January 6, 1878 in Illinois, was a poet, writer, historian and folk musician. Like many of his generation, Sandburg's formal schooling would end in eighth grade. The youngster typically spent his days shining shoes and delivering milk and newspapers to towns people. Then like many of his generation, in 1897 Sandburg began a journey West in search of work by stowing away on top of and inside railroad boxcars.

However, he returned home in just a few months time where upon he promptly enlisted in the service. After an assignment in Puerto Rico, in 1898 Sandburg again returned home where he utilized his military service to enter Lombard College. He later tried unsuccessfully to enter West Point, returning to Lombard where he studied until May of 2002.

College provided Sandburg the thrust to his love for reading and writing poetry. A Lombard professor used a small handpress in his cellar to produce four leaflets by the poet who signed his name, Charles A. Sandburg, "In Reckless Ecstasy," "Incidentals," "The Plaint of the Rose," and "Joseffy." The booklets contained short essays and poems that Sandburg fashioned after the likes of Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Robert Browning.

Sandburg began roaming the country upon quitting college. From 1902 to 1907, Sandburg wrote for minor journals in Chicago while he tried his hand at the lecture circuits delivering orations on Whitman and Lincoln. His fiery intensity as an orator won him much recognition, but he also continued to write poetry. His poems were known for being unorthodox and featured rugged and realistic subject matter. His work often dwelled on the working men and women that he encountered, representing a strong advocacy for social justice.

Sandburg toiled in rather small circles until the landmark Chicago journal "Poetry : A Magazine of Verse" published six of his poems in the March 1914 issue. That proved to be the catalyst for Sandburg as a poet - his first book publication came in 1916 and from that point on he published a number of poetry collections.

Sandburg moved through literary forms just as he moved throughout the country. He often sang while accompanying his poems, and soon he was known for being a showman that delivered biting commentary along with music and poetry. Sandburg also continued writing and soon authored a set of books for young people known as the Rootabaga series. Later he authored the well-known biography of Abraham Lincoln.

The talented writer won many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry as well as in History for separate works. He also received the American Academy of Arts and Letters gold medal in biography and history in 1952 and later was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sandburg died in 1967.

Government

The Government--I heard abut the Government and
I went out to find it. I said I would look closely at
it when I saw it.

Then I saw a policeman dragging a drunken man to
the callaboose. It was the Government in action.

I saw a ward alderman slip into an office one morning
and talk with a judge. Later in the day the judge
dismissed a case against a pickpocket who was a
live ward worker for the alderman. Again I saw
this was the Government, doing things.

I saw militiamen level their rifles at a crowd of work-
ingmen who were trying to get other workingmen
to stay away from a shop where there was a strike
on. Government in action.

Everywhere I saw that Government is a thing made of
men, that Government has blood and bones, it is
many mouths whispering into many ears, sending
telegrams, aiming rifles, writing orders, saying
"yes" and "no."

A Government dies as the men who form it die and are laid
away in their graves and thalso e new Government that
comes after is human, made of heartbeats of blood,
ambitions, lusts, and money running through it all,
money paid and money taken, and money covered
up and spoken of with hushed voices.

A Government is just as secret and mysterious and sensi-
tive as any human sinner carrying a load of germs,
traditions and corpuscles handed down from
fathers and mothers away back.