Poems by Carl Sandberg

Reading Carl Sandberg's poem leads one to think about the reality of life and the consequences of death. While I was reading "Grass", I began to think about all the green grass that covers a cemetary. There are countless bodies under the grass, yet none stand out more than the other. They are all concealed with the grass and covered to make each and everyone just the same as the next. There are no social classes, no race sections, no religion sections-- they are all covered the same.

I guess the way I feel about "Grass" is nothing matters in this life, so we better be focused on death. It is funny that we all come into this walk of life as a baby with nothing under our belt. Then we leave this walk of life with nothing under our belt. The old saying "I have never seen a Hearse pulling a U-haul" has somewhat the same meaning of "Grass". No matter who you think you are in this life and no matter how much you spend in this life-- you life will end like everyone else-- under grass!

Sandberg's poem "Halsted Street Car" also got my attention. It seems in our country we focus on the wealthy, those that have "made it." When was the last time we focused on the factory worker that keeps supplies on demand. The truck driver that brings things to us, or even the police officer that is up all hours of the night while we are home sleeping in a peaceful community. These are tired faces that many forget about.

Just speakin of forgetting, what about our military? Does anyone pencil their tired faces? No, usually we are bashing them, not supporting them, and only highlighting the 1% of them that are in trouble. Where have we gone in this country that we will send me to die for our flag and sign a bill into law that allows a person to burn the same flag with no consequences. Where have we gone when we send a man to do battle for his county against terrorist and then welcome a man that actively supports the same terroirst!

I feel it is time we all pulled out a pencil and sketched the true American, the working American, the average American, the one that carries their load so that our economy, our country, and our families can carry on day to day activities. Where is your pencil?