Alley Rats

Carl Sandburg 1878 (Galesburg) – 1967 (Flat Rock)



They were calling certain styles of whiskers by the name of “lilacs.”
And another manner of beard assumed in their chatter a verbal guise
Of “mutton chops,” “galways,” “feather dusters.”

Metaphors such as these sprang from their lips while other street cries
Sprang from sparrows finding scattered oats among interstices of the curb.
Ah-hah these metaphors—and Ah-hah these boys—among the police they were known
As the Dirty Dozen and their names took the front pages of newspapers
And two of them croaked on the same day at a “necktie party” … if we employ the metaphors of their lips.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 24, 2023

31 sec read
54

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAB AXXBX
Characters 613
Words 105
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 3, 5

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor best known for poetry. more…

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