Public Letter to Emily Dickinson
by CARL SANDBURG
FIVE little roses spoke
for God to be near them,
for God to be witness.
for God to be near them,
for God to be witness.
Flame and thorn were there
in and around five roses,
winding flame, speaking thorn.
in and around five roses,
winding flame, speaking thorn.
Pour from the sea
one hand of salt.
Take from a star
one finger of mist.
Pick from a heart
one cry of silver.
one hand of salt.
Take from a star
one finger of mist.
Pick from a heart
one cry of silver.
Let be, give over
to the moving blue
of the chosen shadow.
to the moving blue
of the chosen shadow.
Let be, give over
to the ease of gongs,
to the might of gongs.
to the ease of gongs,
to the might of gongs.
Share with the flamewon,
choose from your thorns,
for God to be near you,
for God to be witness.
choose from your thorns,
for God to be near you,
for God to be witness.
About the Author
Carl Sandburg was a poet and writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize on three occasions for his poetry and prose, once for his biography of Abraham Lincoln.