CHICAGO Sandburg, 1916

H OG Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:	5
They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.	10
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities;
Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,	15
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle,	20
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse. and under his ribs the heart of the people,
Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

Brief Analysis

One of Sandburg's most recognizable poems is Chicago. In this poem, Sandburg describes the persona and character of the city. He begins by addressing all the negative characteristics that people often attribute to Chicago with a "sneer." Then, in line 10, Sandburg challenges those who criticize Chicago to find a city that is "so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning." These are characteristics that have always defined Chicago, and Sandburg's phrase "proud to be alive" could refer to the quick and strong recovery that Chicago was able to make from the fire. After the fire almost "killed" the city, Chicago came back and now thrives again. Another line that could refer to Chicago's recovery after the fire is line 15, where Sandburg describes the city as "building, breaking, rebuilding." The tone of this poem exudes confidence and pride. But it is not pride in the expected extravagancies and wonders of any other city. Chicago is proud of the common, hard-working, blue-collar people that make up its population.