The Road and the End - A poem by Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg - The Road and the End

I SHALL foot it
Down the roadway in the dusk,
Where shapes of hunger wander
And the fugitives of pain go by.
I shall foot it
In the silence of the morning,
See the night slur into dawn,
Hear the slow great winds arise
Where tall trees flank the way
And shoulder toward the sky.

The broken boulders by the road
Shall not commemorate my ruin.
Regret shall be the gravel under foot.
I shall watch for
Slim birds swift of wing
That go where wind and ranks of thunder
Drive the wild processionals of rain.

The dust of the traveled road
Shall touch my hands and face.

Added: on November 19th, 2004 at 11:47 PM | Viewed: 5188 times | Comments and analysis of The Road and the End by Carl Sandburg Comments (3)

The Road and the End - Comments and Information
Poet: Carl Sandburg Poem: 1. The Road and the End Volume: Chicago Poems - The Road and the End Comment 3 of 3, added on February 7th, 2006 at 4:39 PM. Love it, sweeties! I know you poem fanatics...I'm one of 'em! Keep sendin' the sweet stuff! Love Simon from New Zealand Comment 2 of 3, added on November 14th, 2005 at 8:33 PM. I would just like to say that the poem reflects certain aspects of the Great Depression. The poem shows hardships and dismal points in life(that people living during the Great Depression might have experienced). It tells us that Americans keep on moving, keep on pushing forward, until they reach their goals or even their homes. I think it is an incredible poem that truthfully shows struggling during life and human emotion. Lindsay from Brazil Comment 1 of 3, added on November 19th, 2004 at 11:47 PM. This poem signifies what, I think, all of us feel in the end. When it comes down to it, as we grow old and weary of this world, we look back and we see everything that we've done, everything we've accomplished - achieved - and we realize that certain things weren't worth it. We regret things and they become "the gravel under foot." I think that older people really identify with this poem because they are the ones who have experienced life and walked that road. To many of advancing years, life does indeed simply become a trudging along until you look for the "birds swift of wing" - the end of the road. Richie More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, The Road and the End, has received 3 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: 1. The Road and the End Volume: Chicago Poems - The Road and the End Last read: May 12 2008, 5:44PM Viewed 5188 times. Added on November 19th, 2004 at 11:47 PM.

Sandburg Info
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