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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


EARLY MOON by CARL SANDBURG

Poet Analysis

First Line: THE BABY MOON, A CANOE, A SILVER PAPOOSE CANOE
Last Line: EARLY MOON, A SILVER PAPOOSE, IN THE INDIAN WEST?
Subject(s): MOON;

THE baby moon, a canoe, a silver papoose canoe, sails and sails in the
Indian west.
A ring of silver foxes, a mist of silver foxes, sit and sit around the
Indian moon.
One yellow star for a runner, and rows of blue stars for more runners,
keep a line of watchers.
O foxes, baby moon, runners, you are the panel of memory, fire-white
writing to-night of the Red Man's dreams.
Who squats, legs crossed and arms folded, matching its look against
the moon-face, the star-faces, of the West?
Who are the Mississippi Valley ghosts, of copper foreheads, riding
wiry ponies in the night? -- no bridles, love-arms on the pony necks,
riding in the night a long old trail?
Why do they always come back when the silver foxes sit around the
early moon, a silver papoose, in the Indian west?




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