I have enjoyed Carl Sandburg’s poetry since it was suggested to me in 9th grade by friend Kevin Boyd. This set of 5 songs is about 5 years old now. I appropriately wrote it over the move to Cornhusker country. There is something about his poetry that is at once humorous and very serious – like all good things. After showing one setting to a composition teacher, he said, “I don’t know if I’m supposed to laugh or cry.” I responded, “That’s exactly what I was attempting.” Incidentally, the “Grieg” movement accompaniment was composed completely by reassembling different Grieg motives out of context.
WHAT does the hangman think about | |
When he goes home at night from work? | |
When he sits down with his wife and | |
Children for a cup of coffee and a | |
Plate of ham and eggs, do they ask | 5 |
Him if it was a good day’s work | |
And everything went well or do they | |
Stay off some topics and talk about | |
The weather, base ball, politics | |
And the comic strips in the papers | 10 |
And the movies? Do they look at his | |
Hands when he reaches for the coffee | |
Or the ham and eggs? If the little | |
Ones say, Daddy, play horse, here’s | |
A rope—does he answer like a joke: | 15 |
I seen enough rope for today? | |
Or does his face light up like a | |
Bonfire of joy and does he say: | |
It’s a good and dandy world we live | |
In. And if a white face moon looks | 20 |
In through a window where a baby girl | |
Sleeps and the moon gleams mix with | |
Baby ears and baby hair—the hangman— | |
How does he act then? It must be easy | |
For him. Anything is easy for a hangman, | 25 |
I guess.
II. MONOTONE
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THE MONOTONE of the rain is beautiful, | |
And the sudden rise and slow relapse | |
Of the long multitudinous rain. | |
The sun on the hills is beautiful, | |
Or a captured sunset sea-flung, | 5 |
Bannered with fire and gold. | |
A face I know is beautiful— | |
With fire and gold of sky and sea, | |
And the peace of long warm rain.
III. PERSONALITY: MUSINGS OF A POLICE REPORTER IN THE IDENTIFICATION BUREAU |
IV. GRIEG BEING DEAD
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