Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)
Death Snips Proud Men
1DEATH is stronger than all the governments because
the governments are men and men die and then
death laughs: Now you see 'em, now you don't.
2Death is stronger than all proud men and so death
snips proud men on the nose, throws a pair of
dice and says: Read 'em and weep.
3Death sends a radiogram every day: When I want
you I'll drop in--and then one day he comes with a
master-key and lets himself in and says: We'll
go now.
4Death is a nurse mother with big arms: 'Twon't hurt
you at all; it's your time now; just need a
long sleep, child; what have you had anyhow
better than sleep?
Notes
1] snips: cuts down with scissors (cf. Atropos, the fate who cut the thread of men's life).
3] radiogram: wireless message.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Carl Sandburg, Smoke and Steel (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920), p. 60. PS 3537 A61856 1920 Robarts Library.
First publication date:
1920
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 1998.
Recent editing: 4:2002/3/7
Rhyme: abcb
Other poems by Carl Sandburg
