Give me hunger,
O you gods that sit and give
The world its orders.
Give me hunger, pain and want,
Shut me out with shame and failure
From your doors of gold and fame,
Give me your shabbiest, weariest hunger!
But leave me a little love,
A voice to speak to me in the day end,
A hand to touch me in the dark room
Breaking the long loneliness.
In the dusk of day-shapes
Blurring the sunset,
One little wandering, western star
Thrust out from the changing shores of shadow.
Let me go to the window,
Watch there the day-shapes of dusk
And wait and know the coming
Of a little love.
-- Carl Sandburg
Above: Edward Hopper, Room in Brooklyn, 1932.
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7 comments:
With love, even a litte love, you can "endure all things," as Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians.
Yes, so true. I wonder if this is where Dorothy Day got the title for her autobiography, The Long Loneliness.
Lately I've read some harsh words against Carl Sandburg, but in my estimation, he's one of America's best poets. Thanks for sharing!
*gasp* this one really grabs me!
Mr. Sandburg enhances my growing understanding that it's all out of balance...
Perhaps you know this book of poems: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hoppers-Women/140265492682977
The book looks beautiful. Thanks for the link, Augustine.
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