| Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Cornhuskers. 1918. |
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| 23. Chicago Poet |
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| I SALUTED a nobody. | |
| I saw him in a looking-glass. | |
| He smiled—so did I. | |
| He crumpled the skin on his forehead, | |
| frowning—so did I. | 5 |
| Everything I did he did. | |
| I said, “Hello, I know you.” | |
| And I was a liar to say so. | |
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| Ah, this looking-glass man! | |
| Liar, fool, dreamer, play-actor, | 10 |
| Soldier, dusty drinker of dust— | |
| Ah! he will go with me | |
| Down the dark stairway | |
| When nobody else is looking, | |
| When everybody else is gone. | 15 |
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| He locks his elbow in mine, | |
| I lose all—but not him. | |
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