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Poet: Carl Sandburg (Carl Sandburg Art)
Poem: 27.
A Fence
Volume: Chicago Poems
- Chicago Poems
Year: Published/Written in 1912
Poem of the Day:
Jan 15 2001
Comment 2 of 2, added on March 1st, 2009 at 11:01 PM.
I think that the iron fence being built around the house is a metaphor for enjoying life. If you build an iron fence around your own life, a fence "with steel points that can stabe the life out of any man who falls on them" , then you will be blocking people out of your life. you will be missing out on relationships and raw experiences that we gain with human interaction. I think that Sandburg is trying to say that we should welcome vegabonds, hungry men, and wandering children with open arms. Become good neighbors and go out of our way to help others and invite them in. We must never build that fence with iron bars. If we do we will never experience the joy of life and the only thing to look forward to will be death, rain, and a lifeless boring plain to-morrow.
A Lovell from United States
Comment 1 of 2, added on May 12th, 2005 at 7:45 PM.
This poem is about the present, and the future. The author suggests the fence is installed to protect the house from outsiders today, this was indicated itially by the word "Now".Though the fence was intended to keep the outsiders out, however, only death and the rain is sure to cross this fence in the future. This was suggested by using the word "tommorrow."
Kelly
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Comments
I think that the iron fence being built around the house is a metaphor for enjoying life. If you build an iron fence around your own life, a fence "with steel points that can stabe the life out of any man who falls on them" , then you will be blocking people out of your life. you will be missing out on relationships and raw experiences that we gain with human interaction. I think that Sandburg is trying to say that we should welcome vegabonds, hungry men, and wandering children with open arms. Become good neighbors and go out of our way to help others and invite them in. We must never build that fence with iron bars. If we do we will never experience the joy of life and the only thing to look forward to will be death, rain, and a lifeless boring plain to-morrow.
A Lovell from United States