Lincoln?
He was a mystery in smoke and flags
Saying yes to the smoke, yes to the flags,
Yes to the paradoxes of democracy,
Yes to the hopes of government
Of the people by the people for the people,
No to debauchery of the public mind,
No to personal malice nursed and fed,
By using lines such as “Yes to the hopes …”, Sandburg outlines the beliefs and theories of Lincoln. He contras ideas which Lincoln supports with actions he views as unnecessary or not agreeable.
The People Yes