I AM a copper wire slung in the air,
Slim against the sun I make not even a clear line of shadow.
Night and day I keep singing–humming and thrumming:
It is love and war and money; it is the fighting and the
tears, the work and want,
Death and laughter of men and women passing through
me, carrier of your speech,
In the rain and the wet dripping, in the dawn and the
shine drying,
A copper wire.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Carl Sandburg's poem Under A Telephone Pole

2 Comments

  1. Roberta SchulbergGoro says:

    Did you know that we are ALL copper wires? Electronic experts or not.

  2. Long Shiren says:

    The original Pem had different spacing. Sandburg published it like this:

    UNDER A TELEPHONE POLE

    I AM a copper wire slung in the air,
    Slim against the sun I make not even a clear line of shadow.
    Night and day I keep singing–humming and thrumming:
    It is love and war and money; it is the fighting and the
    tears, the work and want,
    Death and laughter of men and women passing through
    me, carrier of your speech,
    In the rain and the wet dripping, in the dawn and the
    shine drying,
    A copper wire.

    you might try to fix it.

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