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Sandburg
Carl Sandburg
1878-1967

"The Hangman at Home"
(1920)

 

    What does a hangman think about
    When he goes home at night from work?
    When he sits down with his wife and
    Children for a cup of coffee and a
    Plate of ham and eggs, do they ask
    Him if it was a good day's work
    And everything went well or do they
    Stay off some topics and kill about
    The weather, baseball, politics
    And the comic strips in the papers
    And the movies? Do they look at his
    Hands when he reaches for the coffee
    Or the ham and eggs? If the little
    Ones say, Daddy, play horse, here's
    A rope – does he answer like a joke:
    I seen enough rope for today?
    Or does his face light up like a
    Bonfire of joy and does he say:
    It's a good and dandy world we live
    In. And if a white face moon looks
    In through a window where a baby girl
    Sleeps and the moon-gleams mix with
    Baby ears and baby hair – the hangman –
    How does he act then? It must be easy
    For him. Anything is easy for a hangman,
    I guess.

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