The Harbor - A poem by Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg - The Harbor

PASSING through huddled and ugly walls
By doorways where women
Looked from their hunger-deep eyes,
Haunted with shadows of hunger-hands,
Out from the huddled and ugly walls,
I came sudden, at the city's edge,
On a blue burst of lake,
Long lake waves breaking under the sun
On a spray-flung curve of shore;
And a fluttering storm of gulls,
Masses of great gray wings
And flying white bellies
Veering and wheeling free in the open

Added: on July 3rd, 2005 at 7:10 PM | Viewed: 10781 times | Comments and analysis of The Harbor by Carl Sandburg Comments (5)

The Harbor - Comments and Information
Poet: Carl Sandburg (Carl Sandburg Art) Poem: 5. The Harbor Volume: Chicago Poems - Chicago Poems Year: Published/Written in 1912 Poem of the Day: Oct 28 2004 Comment 5 of 5, added on May 20th, 2009 at 8:15 AM. With the exception of the second, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth line, a predominant sound throughout the poem is the short "u". huddled, ugly hunger hunger huddled, ugly sudden Not so much on this line: On a blue burst of lake, under, sun flung fluttering, gulls Masses of great gray wings And flying white bellies Veering and wheeling free in the open I believe Sandburg is using assonance in this poem to set a tone, then releasing that tone in the final three verses, much like the gulls were released to wheel free in the open. Jeff from United States Comment 4 of 5, added on March 23rd, 2006 at 1:30 PM. g'day mates. what a wonderful poem. it really does bring out his work. Steve Adrianes from Australia Comment 3 of 5, added on July 3rd, 2005 at 7:10 PM. The contrast of the city to the shore is exquisite. One underlying meaning one may extricate from the poem is that of one who has has his share of lovers, all of which left him unsatisfied. Yet the shore, and its image of gleaming beauty and youth gives the idea of a new love, one with meaning. The blue lake appears to serve as a symbol for hope and rebirth in the sexual awareness of the poet. Stephanie from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, The Harbor, has received 5 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Carl Sandburg with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Carl Sandburg Poem: 5. The Harbor Volume: Chicago Poems - Chicago Poems Year: Published/Written in 1912 Last read: Dec 10 2009, 12:33PM Poem of the Day: Oct 28 2004 Viewed 10781 times. Added on July 3rd, 2005 at 7:10 PM.

Sandburg Info
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