CARL AUGUST SANDBURG

EARLY YEARS Born to Swedish immigrants Galesburg, Illinois (outside of Chicago) Worked from the time he was a young boy Quit school in eighth grade and spent a decade working a variety of jobs. He began to travel as a hobo in 1897 his experiences traveling greatly influenced his writing and political views. he saw first hand the contrast between rich and poor…lead to a distrust in capitalism

WRITING CAREER Attended Lombard College Those years influenced his literary talents and political views. While at Lombard—Poor Writer’s Club—Phillip Green Wright (a political liberal) became Sandburg’s mentor Sandburg adopted the socialist views of his mentor before leaving college

Sandburg grew increasingly concerned with the plight of the American worker 1907—organizer for the Wisconsin Social Democratic party Writing and distributing pamphlets and literature Took up journalism – Chicago Daily News—covering mostly labor issues

CHICAGO POEMS Unknown to the literary world until 1914 Group of poems appeared in Poetry magazine Two years later (1916) his book Chicago Poems was published

“CHICAGO” Poem we will be studying From the collection Chicago Poems Poem will point out the good and the bad of the city Written in free verse: – No set rhythmical pattern or meter – Long lines allows Sandburg to convey energy, activity and immensity of the city – Short lines- put emphasis on important qualities of thecity