Broad Shouldered Living and the Sandburg Sensation

Dearest of Readers,

If you have ever read Carl Sandburg then you know where I am (or have recently been by the time this is posted).  Suffice to say I am (was) in Chicago (seriously, if you have not read the Chicago poems, you are not an American, hate freedom and don't love your mom).

I really love this city.  It's so great, they named a city after it. Here's a photo for my Indonesian readership:

I am always reticent about coming here for some reason.  Perhaps it's because I am not broad of shoulder, never been described as "husky", and I would never be mistaken as a brawler (though I'll duel someone's ass to the death.  Believe that.) So as I landed today, I was remembering an American Masters I watched recently.  There are many people I have come across who would write off Sandburg for his politics, much like people of his time.  Those people are douche bags and could never understand the greatness of his imagery.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Carl Sandburg's Chicago:

HOG Butcher for the World,

Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,

Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler,

Stormy, husky brawling,

City of the Big Shoulders:

They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I

have seen your painted women under the gas lamps

luring the farm boys.

And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it

it is true I have seen the gunam kill and go free to

kill again.

And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the
faces of women and children I have seen the marks
of wanton hunger.

And having answered so I turn once more to those who
sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer 
and say to them:     

Come and show me another city with lifted head singing 
so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.

Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on
job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the
little soft cities;

Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning
as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,

Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with
white teeth,

Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young
man laughs,

Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has 
never lost a battle

Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse.
and under his ribs is the heart of the people,
Laughing!

Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of
Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be a Hog
Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with
Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

As always, laughing with white teeth and fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action,
BKoM (Your Stacker of Wheat)