Chicago Poems

poetry by Sandburg

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July 20, 2026

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Chicago Poems is a collection of poems by Carl Sandburg, first published in book form in 1916. These poems, which first appeared in Poetry magazine, were a significant part of the Chicago literary renaissance. Sandburg, an American poet, historian, and folklorist, used Whitmanesque free verse to depict urban life and eulogize workers. His famous poem, "Chicago," portrays the city as a vibrant, industrious entity, calling it the "Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation."12

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Chicago literary renaissance
…River Anthology (1915), and Sandburg’s Chicago Poems (1916) marked the height of the renaissance. Two Chicago literary magazines—Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, founded in 1912 by Harriet Monroe, and the Little Review (1914–29), founded by Margaret Anderson—published exciting new verse by Masters, Sandburg, and other
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…River Anthology (1915), and Sandburg’s Chicago Poems (1916) marked the height of the renaissance. Two Chicago literary magazines—Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, founded in 1912 by Harriet Monroe, and the Little Review (1914–29), founded by Margaret Anderson—published exciting new verse by Masters, Sandburg, and other
Read More