“Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” is Vachel
Lindsay’s most famous poem. Written at the beginning of World War I, it portrays
Lincoln walking the streets of Springfield sharing Lindsay’s concern at the
coming of war. Here is a poem with a less elevated tone that celebrates a Springfield
landmark only slightly less well known than Lincoln’s home:
Abraham Lincoln Balks at Maid-Rite
It’s unpretentious, just down from ‘the state,”
Much like an old caboose of clapboard made.
But here the ground beef burger first found plate
And ancient fast food wizards ply their trade.
His shadow on the wall blocks out the ‘I’
Which makes the sign read Mad-Rite where he stands.
He grips his shawl, emits a burbling sigh,
He swoons, the scent of grease invades his glands.
How can he sleep with churning indigestion,
Yet ponders he the fate of hungry men.
He dreams that one may yet heed his suggestion,
And bring White Castle to his hill again.
—Hugh Moore
Today is the Lindsay Book Fair at Barnes & Noble in Springfield. Books
by and about Lindsay will be available at a special Vachel Lindsay Association
table. There will also be a special performance by the Vachel Lindsay Repertory
Group at 7 p.m. Come on out and enjoy Springfield’s poetic heritage!
Local poets were writing about contemporary events in the Sangamo
Journal as early as the 1830s. People’s Poetry wants you to share your thoughts
on what’s happening in Springfield today—in poetic form. Poems on any subject
will be considered, but ones that deal with issues of local interest are encouraged.
Send yours to poetry editor Lee Gurga,.P.O. Box 662, Lincoln, IL 62656, or to
gurga@ccaonline.com with “Bards of
the Sangamo” in the subject line. (Please limit your submissions to poems of
14 lines or less.)
This article appears in May 8-14, 2003.
