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Author: Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)

Text collections / compilations [warning - not necessarily comprehensive]

Chicago Poems
Cornhuskers
Good Morning, America
Honey and Salt
Slabs of the Sunburnt West
Smoke and Steel
The People, Yes
Wind Song

Texts set to music [warning - not necessarily comprehensive]

[x] indicates a placeholder for a text that is not yet in the database
* indicates that a text cannot (yet?) be displayed on this site because of its copyright status.

Note: titles are in bold and first lines are in italics.
A blue rectangle containing a language code such as ENG indicates the presence of a translation to that language. A grey rectangle such as FRE indicates a particular translation (usually one set to music) exists but is missing.

A teamster's farewell (Good-by now to the streets and the clash of wheels and locking hubs ) (from Chicago Poems) - M. Smith
A. E. F. (There will be a rusty gun on the wall, sweetheart) (from Smoke and Steel)
M. Hennagin: There will be a rusty gun on the wall, sweetheart

Alike and ever alike - M. Hennagin [x] *
Anna Imroth (Cross the hands over the breast here - so) SWE
Anna Imroth (Korsa händerna här över bröstet så) - G. Paulson *
Baby face (White Moon comes in on a baby face)
R. Crawford-Seeger: White Moon

Baby Toes (There is a blue star, Janet ) (from Smoke and Steel) - C. Bricken
Back Yard (Shine on, O moon of summer) (from Chicago Poems) - S. Raphling
Be Careful What You Say - L. Pfautsch [x] *
Beat, old heart (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - V. Weigl [x] *
Because I have called to you (from Smoke and Steel)
W. Golde: Calls

Bees and a honeycornb in the dried head (from Cornhuskers)
R. Crawford-Seeger, W. Mellers: In Tall Grass

Bend low again, night of summer stars (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Warren: Summer Stars
G. Bachlund: Summer stars

Between two hills (Between two hills ) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Between two hills (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: Between two hills

Boy heart of Johnny Jones -- aching to-day? (from Cornhuskers)
I. Gertz: Buffalo Bill

Bricklayer Love (I thought of killing myself because I am only a bricklayer ) (from Cornhuskers) - R. Hughes
Broken sky (from Good Morning, America) - R. Green [x] *
Buffalo Bill (Boy heart of Johnny Jones -- aching to-day? ) (from Cornhuskers) - I. Gertz
Cahoots (Play it across the table ) (from Smoke and Steel) - H. Swanson, G. Bachlund
Calls (Because I have called to you) (from Smoke and Steel) - W. Golde
Changing Light Winds [x] *
D. Epstein: Windscape

Chatter of birds two by two raises a night song (from Cornhuskers)
E. Helm, J. Wolfe: Prairie Waters by Night

Chicago (Hog Butcher for the World) (from Chicago Poems) - M. Klein, R. Morse, L. Ultan
Chick Lorimer: Gone (Everybody loved Chick Lorimer in our town) (from Chicago Poems) - A. Wilder
Choose (The single clenched fist lifted and ready) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Clark Street Bridge (Dust of the feet) (from Chicago Poems) - J. Beach
Come on, Superstition (Come on, superstition, and get my goat) (from The People, Yes) - E. Russ [x] *
Come on, superstition, and get my goat (Come on, superstition, and get my goat) (from The People, Yes) [x] *
E. Russ: Come on, Superstition

Come on, superstition, and get my goat (from The People, Yes) [x] *
E. Russ: Come on, Superstition

Come you, cartoonists (from Chicago Poems)
S. Raphling: Halsted Street Car

Cool prayers (I was born on the prairie and the milk of its wheat) (from Cornhuskers) - L. Foss
Cool Tombs (When Abraham Lincoln was shoveled into the tombs) (from Cornhuskers) - W. Mellers, S. Raphling
Cool your heels on the rail of an observation car (from Cornhuskers)
H. Swanson: Still Life

Cross the hands over the breast here - so SWE
Daybreak (from Wind Song) - P. Pisk [x] *
Death comes once, let it be easy (from Smoke and Steel)
W. Mellers: Finish

Death is stronger than all the governments (from Smoke and Steel)
V. Weigl, G. Bachlund: Death snips proud men by the nose

Death snips proud men (Death is stronger than all the governments ) (from Smoke and Steel)
V. Weigl, G. Bachlund: Death snips proud men by the nose

Death snips proud men by the nose (Death is stronger than all the governments ) (from Smoke and Steel) - V. Weigl, G. Bachlund
Desolate and lone (from Chicago Poems)
R. Hughes, H. Matthews, M. Smith, R. Strassburg, C. Van Buskirk, J. Wolfe, D. Hagen: Lost

Dust of the feet (from Chicago Poems)
J. Beach: Clark Street Bridge

Everybody loved Chick Lorimer in our town (from Chicago Poems)
R. Hughes, S. Raphling: Gone
A. Wilder: Chick Lorimer: Gone

Fall yellow (I spot the hills) (from Chicago Poems) - D. Epstein
Finish (Death comes once, let it be easy ) (from Smoke and Steel) - W. Mellers
Fins (Plow over bars of sea plowing) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - V. Weigl
Fog (The fog comes on little cat feet) (from Chicago Poems) - D. Epstein, R. Green, R. Harris, A. Hovhaness, H. Irwin, H. Matthews, W. Nash, S. Raphling, P. Schwartz, L. Lady Somervell, L. Stone, L. Stone
For the gladness here where the sun is shining (from Chicago Poems)
H. Mollincone: Our prayer of thanks

For You (The peace of great doors be for you ) (from Smoke and Steel)
J. Wallach: Incantation

Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind (The woman named To-morrow) (from Smoke and Steel)
J. Kantor: Playthings of the wind
E. Erickson: Lamentations

From the Far Corners (From the four corners of the earth) (from The People, Yes) - V. Weigl [x] *
From the four corners of the earth (From the four corners of the earth) (from The People, Yes) [x] *
V. Weigl: From the Far Corners

From the four corners of the earth (from The People, Yes) [x] *
V. Weigl: From the Far Corners

Gone (Everybody loved Chick Lorimer in our town) (from Chicago Poems) - R. Hughes, S. Raphling
Good Morning, America (from Good Morning, America) [x] *
E. Warren, E. Warren: Great memories
V. Weigl: Sea sunsets

Good-by now to the streets and the clash of wheels and locking hubs (from Chicago Poems)
M. Smith: A teamster's farewell
G. Bachlund: Sobs en route to a Penitentiary

Government (The Government -- I heard about the Government and) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Grass (Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo) (from Cornhuskers) - F. Hart, F. Heath, T. Kroll
Great memories (from Good Morning, America) - E. Warren [x] *
Halsted Street Car (Come you, cartoonists) (from Chicago Poems) - S. Raphling
Hands here - M. Hennagin [x] *
Happiness (I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life ) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Haze gold (from Good Morning, America) - P. Glass [x] *
Hog Butcher for the World (from Chicago Poems)
M. Klein, R. Morse, L. Ultan: Chicago

Home thoughts (The sea rocks have a green moss) (from Smoke and Steel) - R. Crawford-Seeger
Honky Tonk (It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and coronet razzes) (from Smoke and Steel) - G. Bachlund
Honky Tonk in Cleveland, Ohio (It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and coronet razzes) (from Smoke and Steel)
G. Bachlund: Honky Tonk

Huntington sleeps in a house six feet long (from Cornhuskers)
G. Bachlund: Southern Pacific

I am a copper wire slung in the air (from Chicago Poems)
S. Raphling: Under a telephone pole

I am glad God saw Death (from Chicago Poems)
H. Swanson, G. Youse, G. Bachlund: The Junk Man

I am riding on a limited express
W. Mayer: Limited

I am singing to you (from Chicago Poems)
M. Hennagin, V. Weigl: Killers

I am the people (I am the people -- the mob -- the crowd -- the mass ) (from Chicago Poems) - H. Weiss
I am the people -- the mob -- the crowd -- the mass (from Chicago Poems)
H. Weiss: I am the people

I am the people, the mob (I am the people -- the mob -- the crowd -- the mass ) (from Chicago Poems)
H. Weiss: I am the people

I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: Happiness

I have seen/ the old gods go
G. Bachlund: The Hammer

I sang (I sang to you and the moon ) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
I sang to you and the moon (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: I sang

I saw the famous man eating soup. (from Smoke and Steel)
G. Bachlund: Soup

I spot the hills (from Chicago Poems)
D. Epstein: Fall yellow

I thought of killing myself because I am only a bricklayer (from Cornhuskers)
R. Hughes: Bricklayer Love

I was born on the prairie and the milk of its wheat (from Cornhuskers)
L. Foss, L. Foss, N. Lockwood: Prairie

I wish to God I never saw you, Mag (from Chicago Poems)
C. Ives, S. Kagen, S. Raphling: Mag

In Tall Grass (Bees and a honeycornb in the dried head ) (from Cornhuskers) - R. Crawford-Seeger, W. Mellers
In the folded and quiet yesterdays (In the folded and quiet yesterdays) (from The People, Yes) - E. Robinson [x] *
In the folded and quiet yesterdays (from The People, Yes) [x] *
E. Robinson: In the folded and quiet yesterdays

In the loam we sleep (from Cornhuskers)
R. Crawford-Seeger: Loam

Incantation (The peace of great doors be for you ) (from Smoke and Steel) - J. Wallach
It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and coronet razzes (from Smoke and Steel)
G. Bachlund: Honky Tonk

Joy (Let a joy keep you) (from Chicago Poems) - R. Crawford-Seeger, G. Bachlund
Killers (I am singing to you) (from Chicago Poems) - M. Hennagin, V. Weigl
Korsa händerna här över bröstet så *
G. Paulson: Anna Imroth

Lamentations (The woman named To-morrow) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Erickson
Lay me on an anvil, O God (from Cornhuskers)
R. Hughes: The Prayer of Steel
R. Crawford-Seeger, P. Christiansen, J. Spencer: Prayers of Steel

Let a joy keep you (from Chicago Poems)
R. Crawford-Seeger, G. Bachlund: Joy

Limited (I am riding on a limited express) - W. Mayer
Listen a while, the moon is a lovely woman, a lonely woman (from Smoke and Steel)
W. Schuman: Night Stuff

Little Girl, Be Careful What You Say [x] *
L. Pfautsch: Be Careful What You Say

Loam (In the loam we sleep ) (from Cornhuskers) - R. Crawford-Seeger
Long ago I learned how to sleep (from Smoke and Steel)
F. Koch: Long ago I learned how to sleep
P. Glass: Wind Song

Look out how you use proud words (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West)
G. Bachlund: Primer Lesson

Lost (Desolate and lone) (from Chicago Poems) - R. Hughes, H. Matthews, M. Smith, R. Strassburg, C. Van Buskirk, J. Wolfe, D. Hagen
Love is a deep and a dark and a lonely (from Honey and Salt) - R. Starer [x] *
Mag (I wish to God I never saw you, Mag) (from Chicago Poems) - C. Ives, S. Kagen, S. Raphling
Mamie (Mamie beat her head against the bars of a little Indiana) (from Chicago Poems) - S. Raphling
Mamie beat her head against the bars of a little Indiana (from Chicago Poems)
S. Raphling: Mamie

Manual system (Mary has a thingamajig clamped on her ears ) (from Smoke and Steel) - G. Bachlund
Mary has a thingamajig clamped on her ears (from Smoke and Steel)
G. Bachlund: Manual system

Maybe (Maybe he believes me, maybe not ) (from Good Morning, America) - J. Musto, S. Kagen, S. Raphling *
Maybe he believes me, maybe not (from Good Morning, America) *
J. Musto, S. Kagen, S. Raphling: Maybe

Mill-Doors (You never come back ) (from Chicago Poems) - N. Dello Joio
Monoton (The monotone of the rain is beautiful) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Davisson, N. Lockwood
Monotone (The monotone of the rain is beautiful) (from Chicago Poems)
G. Davisson, N. Lockwood: Monoton

My shirt is a token and symbol (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Lang: My Shirt, Song for a Sailor

My Shirt, Song for a Sailor (My shirt is a token and symbol) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Lang
Night Stuff (Listen a while, the moon is a lovely woman, a lonely woman) (from Smoke and Steel) - W. Schuman
Nightsong (from Wind Song) - P. Pisk [x] *
Nocturn cabbage (from Good Morning, America) - R. Green [x] *
Nocturne in a Deserted Brickyard (Stuff of the moon) (from Chicago Poems) - D. Epstein
Oh Angel (On Lang Syne Plantation they had a prayer) (from The People, Yes) - R. Starer [x] *
Omaha (Red barns and red heifers spot the green ) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Bacon
On Lang Syne Plantation they had a prayer (On Lang Syne Plantation they had a prayer) (from The People, Yes) [x] *
R. Starer: Oh Angel

On Lang Syne Plantation they had a prayer (from The People, Yes) [x] *
R. Starer: Oh Angel

On up the sea slant (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West)
H. Clarke: Sea slant

Our prayer of thanks (For the gladness here where the sun is shining) (from Chicago Poems) - H. Mollincone
Passers-by (Passers-by, out of your many faces) (from Chicago Poems) - J. Beach
Passers-by, out of your many faces (from Chicago Poems)
J. Beach: Passers-by

People - M. Hennagin [x] *
Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo (from Cornhuskers)
F. Hart, F. Heath, T. Kroll: Grass

Play it across the table (from Smoke and Steel)
H. Swanson, G. Bachlund: Cahoots

Playthings of the wind (The woman named To-morrow) (from Smoke and Steel) - J. Kantor
Plow over bars of sea plowing (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West)
V. Weigl: Fins

Prairie (I was born on the prairie and the milk of its wheat) (from Cornhuskers) - L. Foss, N. Lockwood
Prairie Waters by Night (Chatter of birds two by two raises a night song ) (from Cornhuskers) - E. Helm, J. Wolfe
Prayers of Steel (Lay me on an anvil, O God ) (from Cornhuskers) - R. Crawford-Seeger, P. Christiansen, J. Spencer
Primer Lesson (Look out how you use proud words) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - G. Bachlund
Rat Riddles (There was a gray rat looked at me ) (from Good Morning, America) - R. Crawford-Seeger *
Red barns and red heifers spot the green (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Bacon: Omaha

Red-Headed Girl (Shake back your hair, O red-headed girl) (from Smoke and Steel) - G. Bachlund
Red-Headed Restaurant Cashier (Shake back your hair, O red-headed girl) (from Smoke and Steel) - K. Rathaus
Ripe corn (from Good Morning, America) - W. Mellers [x] *
Sea chest (There was a woman loved a man ) (from Good Morning, America) - J. Musto *
Sea slant (On up the sea slant) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - H. Clarke
Sea sunsets (from Good Morning, America) - V. Weigl [x] *
Shake back your hair, O red-headed girl (from Smoke and Steel)
G. Bachlund: Red-Headed Girl
K. Rathaus: Red-Headed Restaurant Cashier

Shine on, O moon of summer (from Chicago Poems)
S. Raphling: Back Yard

Shirt (My shirt is a token and symbol) (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Lang: My Shirt, Song for a Sailor

Sketch (The shadows of the ships) (from Chicago Poems) - M. Smith
Small Homes (The green bug sleeps in the white lily ear ) (from Good Morning, America) - G. Bachlund, M. Oliver *
Sobs en route to a Penitentiary (Good-by now to the streets and the clash of wheels and locking hubs ) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Soup (I saw the famous man eating soup. ) (from Smoke and Steel) - G. Bachlund
Southern Pacific (Huntington sleeps in a house six feet long) (from Cornhuskers) - G. Bachlund
Special starlight - H. Haslam [x] *
Spring carries surprises (from Good Morning, America) - W. Mellers [x] *
Spring grass (from Good Morning, America) - P. Glass, R. Kreutz, V. Weigl [x] *
Stars (from Wind Song) - E. Gerschefski [x] *
Still Life (Cool your heels on the rail of an observation car) (from Cornhuskers) - H. Swanson
Stuff of the moon (from Chicago Poems)
D. Epstein: Nocturne in a Deserted Brickyard

Summer grass (from Good Morning, America) - P. Glass, W. Mellers, R. Green, P. Pisk [x] *
Summer Stars (Bend low again, night of summer stars) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Warren
Sunsets (There are sunsets that whisper a good-by) - R. Crawford-Seeger
Sunsets (from Good Morning, America) [x] *
E. Lang: Sunsets, Song for a Sailor

Sunsets (There are sunsets that whisper a good-by)
R. Crawford-Seeger: Sunsets

Sunsets, Song for a Sailor (from Good Morning, America) - E. Lang [x] *
Tawny (These are the tawny days: your face comes back) (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Warren: Tawny Days

Tawny Days (These are the tawny days: your face comes back) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Warren
The fog comes on little cat feet (from Chicago Poems)
D. Epstein, R. Green, R. Harris, A. Hovhaness, H. Irwin, H. Matthews, W. Nash, S. Raphling, P. Schwartz, L. Lady Somervell, L. Stone, L. Stone: Fog

The gong of Time (from Honey and Salt) [x] *
R. Starer: The gong of Time

The Government -- I heard about the Government and (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: Government

The green bug sleeps in the white lily ear (from Good Morning, America) *
G. Bachlund, M. Oliver: Small Homes

The grip of the ice is gone now (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Warren: The Wind Sings Welcome

The Hammer (I have seen/ the old gods go) - G. Bachlund
The hangman at home (What does the hangman think about ) (from Smoke and Steel) - J. Musto
The Junk Man (I am glad God saw Death) (from Chicago Poems) - H. Swanson, G. Youse, G. Bachlund
The lawyers, Bob, know too much
G. Bachlund: The Lawyers Know Too Much

The Lawyers Know Too Much (The lawyers, Bob, know too much ) - G. Bachlund
The monotone of the rain is beautiful (from Chicago Poems)
G. Davisson, N. Lockwood: Monoton

The peace of great doors be for you (from Smoke and Steel)
J. Wallach: Incantation

The Prayer of Steel (Lay me on an anvil, O God ) (from Cornhuskers) - R. Hughes
The sea rocks have a green moss (from Smoke and Steel)
R. Crawford-Seeger: Home thoughts

The shadows of the ships (from Chicago Poems)
M. Smith: Sketch

The single clenched fist lifted and ready (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: Choose

The stone goes straight (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West)
S. Raphling: Washington Monument by night

The strong men (The strong men keep coming on) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - W. Lundquist
The strong men keep coming on (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West)
W. Lundquist: The strong men
C. Bricken, C. Dougherty, E. Ferguson, S. Kagen, A. Malotte: Upstream

The Wind Sings Welcome (The grip of the ice is gone now) (from Smoke and Steel) - E. Warren
The Wind Sings Welcome in Early Spring (The grip of the ice is gone now) (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Warren: The Wind Sings Welcome

The woman named To-morrow (from Smoke and Steel)
J. Kantor: Playthings of the wind
E. Erickson: Lamentations

Theme in yellow (I spot the hills) (from Chicago Poems)
D. Epstein: Fall yellow

There are sunsets that whisper a good-by
R. Crawford-Seeger: Sunsets

There is a blue star, Janet (from Smoke and Steel)
C. Bricken: Baby Toes

There is only one man - M. Hennagin [x] *
There was a gray rat looked at me (from Good Morning, America) *
R. Crawford-Seeger: Rat Riddles

There was a woman loved a man (from Good Morning, America) *
J. Musto: Sea chest

There will be a rusty gun on the wall, sweetheart (from Smoke and Steel)
M. Hennagin: There will be a rusty gun on the wall, sweetheart

These are the tawny days: your face comes back (from Smoke and Steel)
E. Warren: Tawny Days

Timber moon (from Good Morning, America) - S. Raphling [x] *
Under a telephone pole (I am a copper wire slung in the air) (from Chicago Poems) - S. Raphling
Under the harvest moon (Under the harvest moon) (from Chicago Poems) - C. Naginski, G. Bachlund
Under the harvest moon (from Chicago Poems)
C. Naginski, G. Bachlund: Under the harvest moon

Uplands in May (Wonder as of old things) (from Chicago Poems) - D. Epstein
Upstream (The strong men keep coming on) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - C. Bricken, C. Dougherty, E. Ferguson, S. Kagen, A. Malotte
Washington Monument by night (The stone goes straight) (from Slabs of the Sunburnt West) - S. Raphling
What does the hangman think about (from Smoke and Steel)
J. Musto: The hangman at home

When Abraham Lincoln was shoveled into the tombs (from Cornhuskers)
W. Mellers, S. Raphling: Cool Tombs

White Moon (White Moon comes in on a baby face) - R. Crawford-Seeger
White Moon comes in on a baby face
R. Crawford-Seeger: White Moon

White shoulders (Your white shoulders ) (from Chicago Poems) - G. Bachlund
Wind Song (Long ago I learned how to sleep ) (from Smoke and Steel) - P. Glass
Windscape - D. Epstein [x] *
Winter gold (from Good Morning, America) - P. Glass [x] *
Wonder as of old things (from Chicago Poems)
D. Epstein: Uplands in May

You never come back (from Chicago Poems)
N. Dello Joio: Mill-Doors

Your white shoulders (from Chicago Poems)
G. Bachlund: White shoulders

[x] indicates a placeholder for a text that is not yet in the database
* indicates that a text cannot (yet?) be displayed on this site because of its copyright status.