Family Poems:
Read Together!
Milk White Moon,
Put the Cows to Sleep
by Carl Sandburg (American, 1878-1967)
Milk-white moon, put the cows to sleep
Since five o'clock in the morning,
Since they stood up out of the grass,
Where they have slept on their knees and hocks,
They have eaten grass and given their milk
And eaten grass again and given milk,
And kept their heads and teeth at the earth's face.
Now they are looking at you, milk-white moon.
Carelessly as they look at the level landscapes,
Carelessly as they look at a pail of new white milk,
They are looking at you, wondering not at all, at all.
If the moon is the skim face top of a pail of milk
Wondering not at all, carelessly looking.
Put the cows to sleep, milk-white moon,
Put the cows to sleep.
You and your children can find the sketches above, preliminary drawings for a print series, Cow Triptych by Roy Lichtenstein (American,1923 – 1997) at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.
For more information on artist Roy Lichtenstein, go to:
For more information about poet Carl Sandburg, to to:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/28
