                           GOVERNMENT

THE Government--I heard about the Government and
     I went out to find it. I said I would look closely at
     it when I saw it.
Then I saw a policeman dragging a drunken man to
     the callaboose. It was the Government in action.
I saw a ward alderman slip into an office one morning
     and talk with a judge. Later in the day the judge
     dismissed a case against a pickpocket who was a
     live ward worker for the alderman. Again I saw
     this was the Government, doing things.
I saw militiamen level their rifles at a crowd of
     workingmen who were trying to get other workingmen
     to stay away from a shop where there was a strike
     on. Government in action.

Everywhere I saw that Government is a thing made of
     men, that Government has blood and bones, it is
     many mouths whispering into many ears, sending
     telegrams, aiming rifles, writing orders, saying
     "yes" and "no."

Government dies as the men who form it die and are laid
     away in their graves and the new Government that
     comes after is human, made of heartbeats of blood,
     ambitions, lusts, and money running through it all,
     money paid and money taken, and money covered
     up and spoken of with hushed voices.
A Government is just as secret and mysterious and sensitive     
     as any human sinner carrying a load of germs,
     traditions and corpuscles handed down from
     fathers and mothers away back.

                                    Carl Sandburg, 1910(?)
