Why I Chose Carl Sandburg as my poet - Essay Example

18 March Why I Chose Carl Sandburg as My Poet Sandburg was not quite well-known until 1914, when some of his poems were published in Poetry magazine, which was widely read. His book Chicago Poems got published in 1916. At that time, Sandburg was 38 years old, and was just at the brink of a career which was going to earn him international recognition. Cornhuskers was another volume of his poems which was published in 1918. Sandburg won the first Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the second Pulitzer Prize in 1951.

An autobiographical account titled Always the Younger Strangers encapsulating the first two decades of the life of Sandburg got published in the year 1953. People had several reasons to appreciate Sandburg in addition to his wonderful poetry. A very strong reason was Sandburg’s overt expression of his thoughts about the contemporary issues. He is one of the poets who wrote about modern day industrial era. Unlike most poets, who get universal acclaim in very early age, Sandburg had to wait to get to the international level.

In this sense, he was a true struggler. People normally lose hope if success has to come that late, and this is what makes Sandburg different. And the best thing about this is Sandburg’s realization and confession. “All my life I have been trying to learn to read, to see and hear, and to write. At sixty-five I began my first novel, and the five years lacking a month I took to finish it, I was still traveling, still a seeker” (Sandburg cited in Niven). This speaks of his down-to-earth nature and greatness.

Works Cited:Niven, Penelope. “Carl Sandburg’s Life.” 2000. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. .