Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Cornhuskers. 1918.

5. Laughing Corn

THERE was a high majestic fooling

Day before yesterday in the yellow corn.

And day after to-morrow in the yellow corn

There will be high majestic fooling.

The ears ripen in late summer

And come on with a conquering laughter,

Come on with a high and conquering laughter.

The long-tailed blackbirds are hoarse.

One of the smaller blackbirds chitters on a stalk

And a spot of red is on its shoulder

And I never heard its name in my life.

Some of the ears are bursting.

A white juice works inside.

Cornsilk creeps in the end and dangles in the wind.

Always—I never knew it any other way—

The wind and the corn talk things over together.

And the rain and the corn and the sun and the corn

Talk things over together.

Over the road is the farmhouse.

The siding is white and a green blind is slung loose.

It will not be fixed till the corn is husked.

The farmer and his wife talk things over together.