| Carl Sandburg (18781967). Smoke and Steel. 1922. |
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| III. Broken-Face Gargoyles |
| 5. Shirt |
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| MY shirt is a token and symbol, | |
| more than a cover for sun and rain, | |
| my shirt is a signal, | |
| and a teller of souls. | |
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| I can take off my shirt and tear it, | 5 |
| and so make a ripping razzly noise, | |
| and the people will say, | |
| Look at him tear his shirt. | |
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| I can keep my shirt on. | |
| I can stick around and sing like a little bird | 10 |
| and lookem all in the eye and never be fazed. | |
| I can keep my shirt on. | |
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