[lit-ideas] Re: Grass Poem Request
- From: Ursula Stange <Ursula@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2004 10:22:34 -0500
From Cliff's Notes:
"In 1918, at the end of World War I, Sandburg produced “Grass,” a
savagely realistic, calm poem, more heavily symbolic and less
spontaneous than his imagist verse. A familiar theme in world
literature, the idea of creeping cemetery grass uniting all wars dates
to ancient Mediterranean verse. By speaking through the persona of
grass, Sandburg captures the impersonal work of nature: the vivid green
blades conceal from passersby the destruction of three wars—Napoleonic
battles, the American Civil War, and World War I. By naming cities
forever linked to carnage, Sandburg reminds the reader that, once
inflicted on humanity, war leaves an indelible history as grass reclaims
battle grounds and turns them into burial places. Although veiled by
spreading root structure, the events remain in memory, a prologue to
subsequent wars."
Grass by Carl Sandburg
PILE the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work—
I am the grass; I cover all.
And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?
I am the grass.
Let me work.
Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>" I don't recall the whole poem, or even the author (some help here). I
>believe it was
>called Grass covers all. It is a story of how war tears up the land and the
>people and destroys the very things that we are fighting for. The refrain
>is "grass covers all". Any way this one line has always stuck in my mind,
>how
>appropriate it is now I don't know, but Grass (time) covers all. Grass will
>cover the dislodged soil, grass will cover the unexploded bombs, grass will
>cover the bones of the dead, grass will cover all. Grass covers the scares
>of war like time and love will cover the scares of divorce."
>
>
>
>Hoping all have a sunny, happy day!
>Marlena in Missouri
>
>
>
>
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