Carl Sandburg
Author of the day

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg was an American poet, historian, novelist, and lexicographer. He is considered one of the most important American poets of the 20th century, known for his free verse and his focus on the American working class and the landscapes of the American Midwest. His poetry often celebrated the common man and the industrial might of America, earning him a reputation as the "poet of the people." Beyond his poetry, Sandburg was also a prolific biographer, most notably of Abraham Lincoln, and a…

Poems
Poem of the day

Grass

Carl Sandburg
Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work
-I am the grass; I cover all.

And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and the passengers ask the conductor:

What place is this?
Where are we now?

I am the grass.
Let me work.
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Born on this day

9
Fernando Echevarría

Fernando Echevarría was a Chilean poet, essayist, and literary critic, known for his significant contribution to contemporary Spanish-language poetry. His work frequently addresses themes such as memory, identity, the passage of time, and the human condition, with an elaborate and reflective language. Echevarría stood out for his erudition and the depth of his literary analyses, also working as a professor and cultural disseminator. His poetry is marked by imagistic density and a constant search for new forms of expression, dialoguing with tradition and exploring the limits of language.

Abrahão Cost'Andrade

Abrahão Cost'Andrade was a poet whose work explores the depths of the human soul and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. His writing is marked by deep introspection and a language that sometimes evokes melancholy and, at other times, celebrates life in its most delicate nuances. His poetry is an invitation to reflect on existence, identity, and the impact of time on the perception of reality.

Francisco Karam

Francisco Karam is a Brazilian poet whose work stands out for its exploration of the inner landscape and the human condition, often intertwined with a sensitivity for the nuances of language. His poetry navigates between lyricism and existential reflection, using a language that, while accessible, carries depth and rich imagery. His compositions address universal themes such as love, the ephemerality of time, and the search for meaning, reflecting a melancholic, yet also hopeful, view of life.

Domingos do Nascimento

Domingos do Nascimento was a poet whose work is part of a context of deep reflection on the human condition and spirituality. His poetic compositions explore the duality between the material and the immaterial, the ephemeral and the eternal, using a language rich in symbolism and evocative imagery. His poetry is marked by an incessant search for meaning, addressing universal themes such as love, loss, faith, and transcendence. Musicality and rhythm are distinctive elements of his style, lending a unique sonority to his verses, which invite contemplation and introspection.

Michel Houellebecq

Michel Houellebecq is a French novelist, poet, and essayist, widely regarded as one of the most important and controversial literary figures in contemporary France. His work, marked by ironic pessimism and biting social criticism, explores themes such as individualism, the decline of Western society, sexuality, religion, and existential malaise. His characters are often alienated and disillusioned individuals, struggling to find meaning in a world increasingly fragmented and dominated by consumerism and technology.

Pierre Mac Orlan

Pierre Mac Orlan, pseudonym of Pierre Dancergues, was a French writer and journalist. He is known for his adventure novels and his vivid descriptions of Parisian life and seascapes. His work often explores themes such as freedom, revolt, and marginality, with a style that blends realism and lyricism.

Fernando Leal

Fernando Leal was a Portuguese poet whose work is situated within the context of Portuguese modernism. He was characterized by the exploration of themes related to identity, memory, and inner landscape, using refined language and subtle lyricism. His poetry reflects a refined sensibility towards the human experience and the flow of time, marking a singular voice in the literary panorama of the 20th century.

Efraín Jara Idrovo

Efraín Jara Idrovo was an Ecuadorian poet, essayist, and critic, whose work is distinguished by his profound reflection on existence, identity, and the human condition, often tinged with sharp melancholy and lucidity. His poetry, characterized by purified language and great musicality, explores the labyrinths of being and the fleetingness of time, seeking in the word a refuge and a means to unravel the complexity of the world. Jara Idrovo is a central figure in 20th-century Ecuadorian poetry, appreciated for his aesthetic rigor and intellectual commitment.

Died on this day

3
Arsène Houssaye

Arsène Houssaye was a French writer, journalist, and museum curator. Known for his prolific literary output and his management of the Musée Carnavalet in Paris, he was an influential figure in the 19th-century French cultural scene.

José Cadalso

José Cadalso was a Spanish military officer, writer, and thinker of the Enlightenment, known mainly for his satirical and critical work of the society of his time. His agile prose and wit allowed him to address topics such as morality, customs, and national identity, often with an ironic and reflective tone. His most famous work, 'Cartas marruecas' (Moroccan Letters), is a paradigmatic example of the didactic and moralizing literature of the 18th century, where through the eyes of foreign characters, the vices and virtues of Spain are criticized. Cadalso is a key figure for understanding Enlightenment thought in Spanish literature.