Does Carl Sandburg's Poem I Am The People, The Mob Mean

In the poem, “I am the People, the Mob” by Carl Sandburg, portrays the overlooked and disregarded work of everyday citizens. When reading the poem, Sandburg makes the reader realize the hardships of everyday citizens and the lack of recognition due to the powerful elites that takes credit. In the beginning of the poem, Sandburg describes that he is “the mob--the crowd--the mass” (Line 1). By using three of the adjectives to describe ‘people’ he is able to demonstrate this unrecognition of everyday citizens has always happened. I believe that he is trying to hint at is does matter where or when in history, but common citizens have always been looked over. Then Sandburg raises a rhetorical question, “do you know that all the great work of the

He uses the phrase “great work of the world” to further drive the point that anything good that has ever happen has came from the backbone of the country. Afterward, Sandburg list all the roles he has taken on. I presume this is to further emphasize his point of all the “great work” that has been done, however, I believe he includes those jobs because without them our lives would be very limited. When he questions the reader, he is asking the one to look within themselves to see if they take notice of the work of everyday people or just and continues to ignore their own work and the work of others. Also, Sandburg brings up the point that “the Napoleons come from [him] and the Lincolns” (Line 4). Common people are the start of greatness, without them, there would be no ‘Napoleons’ or Lincolns’ to create and bring forth change or greatness. The author uses this

He uses the phrase to create a stir in emotion for the reader, to shift the tone of the poem from pride to resentment. By saying that “I forget” is describing that people forget all the things negative or positives that others have done for themselves. I believe author uses first person, instead of saying the “people forgot”, conveys he as fell victim to the same forgetfulness. Further, the author expresses that even when he “[growls]” and “[spatters] a few drops for history” enhances the phrase (Line 9). Sandburg is only highlighting the point that society has taken notice to this injustices and has cames together to tackle the unrewarding recognition, still as time and history moves on the people tend to forget and fall victim again. I think this is a true testament to the overlying theme of the poem because these common people do not have time to only protest or fight, but need to work to support themselves and families. That they may be choosing to forget, but they are doing so that they can survive because if they are not doing the work then who will. However, tone shifts again when the author wonders when “the people, [will] learn to remember” (Line 10). The author uses this moment in the poem has a warning, that everyday citizens will realize that there is an unequal amount of recognition for their long day of work and will no longer look passed this but will