Carl Sandburg: American Writer, Poet and Editor

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“Joy always, Joy everywhere, Let Joy Kill you.” is a quote from Carl Sandburg’s poem “Joy”. His straightforward writing shows the simplicity of everyday life. Joy can be found anywhere and can make the actions and choices in life more meaningful. This theme of everyday life makes Carl Sandburg one of the most influential American poets of all time.
Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois on January 6, 1878. Both his parents were Swedish immigrants that moved to the America because jobs were scarce in Sweden. His father became a railroad worker in Burlington, Chicago and his mother was originally a housekeeper in Sweden and became a housewife in America. His family stayed in America for most of the time and rarely visited Sweden. His family eventually grew and he became the second kid out of seven (EIU). As a child Carl enjoyed visiting the prairie. He never enjoyed school or anything related to literature. He decided at the age of thirteen that he did not want to attend school anymore so he quit school. After this he began to drive a milk wagon. At the age of fourteen until seventeen he worked at the Union Hotel barbershop in Galesburg. Carl loved to work. He was dedicated to his work and serving others. When he turned twenty Carl volunteered to go into the military during the Spanish American War. Although he never actually went to into fighting section he still served as a U.S. soldier. Carl eventually came home. He had no job and was unemployed. Carl began writing short poems when he started West Point University. While he was at West Point he took the math exam and failed it. He went back home within a short amount of time to Galesburg, Illinois and attended Lombard College and still continued writing poems. Although he ...

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... around him he has had many programs and schools named after him. He was a literature icon and someone that I would like to be like. He was Strong, Smart, Very influencing and a true American. He took pride in what he believed in never let anyone pull him down.

Works Cited

Bildir, Hata, ed. "Carl Sandburg." Poem Hunter. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 March 2014.
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Buehrmann, Elizabeth. "Carl Sandburg." Academy of American Poets. N.p.. Web. 10
March 2014. .
EIU, ed. "The Childhood of Carl Sandburg." Eastern Illinois University. Eastern
Illinois, n.d. Web. 19 March 2014.
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Van Wienen, Mark W. "Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)." Modern American Poetry. N.p..
Web. 10 March 2014.
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