2. Cadenza. IX. Haze. Sandburg, Carl. 1920. Smoke and Steel

Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Smoke and Steel. 1922.

IX. Haze

2. Cadenza

THE KNEES
of this proud woman
are bone.

The elbows
of this proud woman	5
are bone.

The summer-white stars
and the winter-white stars
never stop circling
around this proud woman.	10

The bones
of this proud woman
answer the vibrations
of the stars.

In summer	15
the stars speak deep thoughts
In the winter
the stars repeat summer speeches.

The knees
of this proud woman	20
know these thoughts
and know these speeches
of the summer and winter stars.