Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Chicago Poems. 1916.

68. Among the Red Guns

After waking at dawn one morning when the wind sang low among dry leaves in an elm

AMONG the red guns,

In the hearts of soldiers

Running free blood

In the long, long campaign:

Dreams go on.

Among the leather saddles,

In the heads of soldiers

Heavy in the wracks and kills

Of all straight fighting:

Dreams go on.

Among the hot muzzles,

In the hands of soldiers

Brought from flesh-folds of women—

Soft amid the blood and crying—

In all your hearts and heads

Among the guns and saddles and muzzles:

Dreams,

Dreams go on,

Out of the dead on their backs,

Broken and no use any more:

Dreams of the way and the end go on.