Iron

Carl Sandburg

1878 to 1967

Poem Image

Guns,
Long, steel guns,
Pointed from the war ships 
In the name of the war god 
Straight, shining, polished guns, 
Clambered over with jackies in white blouses,
Glory of tan faces, tousled hair, white teeth, 
Laughing lithe jackies in white blouses,
Sitting on the guns singing war songs, war chanties 

Shovels, 
Broad, iron shovels,
Scooping out oblong vaults, 
Loosening turf and leveling sod 
I ask you 
To witness— 
The shovel is brother to the gun