At the University of Illinois they came across this poem that Sandburg had written:

Here is a revolver.

It has an amazing language all its own.

It delivers unmistakable ultimatums.

It is the last word.

A simple, little human forefinger can tell a terrible story with it.

Hunger, fear, revenge, robbery hide behind it.

It is the claw of the jungle made quick and powerful.

It is the club of the savage turned to magnificent precision.

It is more rapid than any judge or court of law.

It is less subtle and treacherous than any one lawyer or ten.

When it has spoken, the case can not be appealed to the supreme court, nor any mandamus nor any injunction nor any stay of execution come in and interfere with the original purpose.

And nothing in human philosophy persists more strangely than the old belief that God is always on the side of those who have the most revolvers.

At least for the U.S., it surfaced at a good time.
[Edited to add the word come after execution.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

Post this everywhere!

You left out the word come after execution. Sadly, so did most of the online sources I found, including The Chicago Tribune, though it included a photocopy of the poem with the corret wording. Click on the photocopy to enlarge.

Yes. I have corrected it. Thanks, Tinman.

I think it is a beautiful prose poem. It's another example of why I like prose poems.