Case study: Understanding America

I believe that no one can effectively understand, love or govern any part of the United States of America unless one has read one specific poem, "Prairie" by Carl Sandburg (my favorite poet).

You know how in science fiction books and fantasy novels sometimes the hero discovers something like an instant learning helmet, where he or she puts it on and they suddenly have a lot of knowledge and wisdom put directly into his or her brain?

"Prairie" accomplishes the same thing. It explains the land of America, the people of America, God, time, destiny, hopes, reality, joy, the economy and peace of mind. One also cannot truly understand the environment or being "green" without reading and studying this poem.

Carl Sandburg was hardly wearing rose colored glasses, so even cynics can have total confidence in his vision. He saw the horrors of service in World War I, and has antiwar and Socialist credentials! But he also believed in God, and admired Abraham Lincoln above all men, spending years in study of him.

Follow this link and study this poem, allowing yourself to really feel section by section what he is transmitting, and you will have an instant transfusion of understanding American. Print it out and read it a few times, at leisure, over these next few days.

"Put on your instant learning and wisdom helmet" here:

http://www.bartleby.com/134/1.html