The Junk Man

Carl Sandburg

1878 to 1967

Poem Image

I am glad God saw Death 
And gave Death a job taking care of all who are tired of living 

When all the wheels in a clock are worn and slow and the connections loose 
And the clock goes on ticking and telling the wrong time from hour to hour 
And people around the house joke about what a bum clock it is. 
How glad the clock is when the big Junk Man drives his wagon 
Up to the house and puts his arms around the clock and says 
              "You don’t belong here,
             You gotta come 
             Along with me," 
How glad the clock is then, when it feels the arms of the Junk Man close around it and carry it away