| Carl Sandburg (1878–1967). Smoke and Steel. 1922. |
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| V. Mist Forms |
| 18. Winter Milk |
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| THE MILK drops on your chin, Helga, | |
| Must not interfere with the cranberry red of your cheeks | |
| Nor the sky winter blue of your eyes. | |
| Let your mammy keep hands off the chin. | |
| This is a high holy spatter of white on the reds and blues. | 5 |
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| Before the bottle was taken away, | |
| Before you so proudly began today | |
| Drinking your milk from the rim of a cup | |
| They did not splash this high holy white on your chin. | |
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| There are dreams in your eyes, Helga. | 10 |
| Tall reaches of wind sweep the clear blue. | |
| The winter is young yet, so young. | |
| Only a little cupful of winter has touched your lips. | |
| Drink on … milk with your lips … dreams with your eyes. | |
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