| Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Chicago Poems. 1916. |
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| 79. Choices |
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| THEY offer you many things, | |
| I a few. | |
| Moonlight on the play of fountains at night | |
| With water sparkling a drowsy monotone, | |
| Bare-shouldered, smiling women and talk | 5 |
| And a cross-play of loves and adulteries | |
| And a fear of death | |
| and a remembering of regrets: | |
| All this they offer you. | |
| I come with: | 10 |
| salt and bread | |
| a terrible job of work | |
| and tireless war; | |
| Come and have now: | |
| hunger. | 15 |
| danger | |
| and hate. | |
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