Carl Sandburg

Fire-logs

Fire-logs - fact Summary

Reference to Lincoln's Mother

The poem shows Nancy Hanks sitting by a fire, dreaming as logs sputter and flames flicker. The dream anticipates "a beautiful child" and "a tall man to come," projecting hope and the sense of a destiny unfolding. The domestic scene and prophetic tone point beyond the immediate moment to a forthcoming figure of importance.

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Nancy Hanks dreams by the fire; Dreams, and the logs sputter, And the yellow tongues climb. Red lines lick their way in flickers. Oh, sputter, logs. Oh, dream, Nancy. Time now for a beautiful child. Time now for a tall man to come.

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