A Sandburg Stumper

[Rob Wick]

Joe,

You've got the whole book! It was in 1904 in In Reckless Ecstasy that Sandburg first mentioned Lincoln in print. Here are a couple of paragraphs from the first draft of my introduction:

Carl Sandburg first mentioned Abraham Lincoln in print in a small, obscure yet powerful book of poetry printed in the dank basement of a Lombard College professor who befriended the “Swedish bard” soon after Sandburg’s return to Galesburg, Illinois in 1899 from the Spanish-American War. In Reckless Ecstasy was a combination of poetry and prose, and Sandburg used Lincoln almost as a glancing literary blow on the subject of humor.

“Jollying is a fine art,” Sandburg wrote. “Those who have attained the genius of it are the only true royalty of the universe.” Good fooling, as Sandburg termed it, was the glue which held many a man bonded to the populace which they strove to lead and, Sandburg said, history showed that there was no one “more sublime and touching…than Abraham Lincoln.” Mentioned only once, then quickly abandoned, Sandburg used Lincoln more as a prop instead of as serious subject matter. “My prayer is that I may be a good fool,” Sandburg added.

Good job, Joe.

Best
Rob