| Carl Sandburg (18781967). Chicago Poems. 1916. |
| |
| 86. A Sphinx |
| |
| |
| CLOSE-MOUTHED you sat five thousand years and never let out a whisper. | |
| Processions came by, marchers, asking questions you answered with grey eyes never blinking, shut lips never talking. | |
| Not one croak of anything you know has come from your cat crouch of ages. | |
| I am one of those who know all you know and I keep my questions: I know the answers you hold. | |
| |
|
|
|