Review: Billy Sunday and Other Poems

Billy Sunday and Other Poems by Carl Sandburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book of poetry is organized into twelve parts. Nearly all of the included poems were previously unpublished. The title poem was one published before in 1916, but in a revised version and without naming the preacher. Most of the poems were written between 1910 to early 1930s.

The poems are generally easy to read, straightforward without a lot of abstraction. Sandburg wrote so the common person would be able to understand his meaning. And his meaning comes through clearly. He is one of the downtrodden, the working class, the poor. He is a socialist.

His words paint portraits of people. A few describe atrocities, such as WWI and the sinking of the steamship Eastland which resulted in the drowning of hundreds of people, workers and family on their way to a company picnic. There is a section of love poems as well, which are mostly tender or passionate.

I bought this book many years ago, before taking poetry classes in college. I do not remember what brought me to purchase this book of poetry, perhaps it was what just a random purchase of poetry as I did back then. And hard to say why I never picked it up until recently.

Book rating: 4.25 stars

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