Carl Sandburg and Lincoln

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

In an article by the Associated Press in 1958 when he turned 80, Sandburg was quoted as saying that he would "live to be 88, and maybe even 89." He added "It's inevitable, it's inexorable, it's written in the book of fate that I die at an age divisible by 11."

The paper added "Two of his great-grandfathers and one of his grandfathers died at ages divisible by that number, he said, and he asserted that it is fate he follows suit."

Later he said "I'll probably die propped up in bed trying to write a poem about America. Or, about a man who prayed to God that he live to an age divisible by 11."

I think it was simply Sandburg being Sandburg. By this point he was, as I've stated earlier, almost a brand name instead of a human being. He was simply giving the people what he thought they wanted.

Penny Niven, in her biography, wrote that Sandburg had outlined what he wanted in a funeral in 1920 in his poem "Finish" which appeared in Smoke and Steel.

Death comes once, let it be easy.
Ring one bell for me once, but let it go at that.
Or ring no bell at all, better yet.

Sing one song if I die.
Sing John Brown's Body or Shoot All Over God's Heaven.

Death comes once, let it be easy.

Not a bad idea, if you ask me.

Best
Rob