Carl Sandburg's Motif of Blood as a Symbol of Both Life and Death The image of the color red is presented in at least 25 of the poems of this collection. In some instances, red is a symbol of passion and life, but in others it is offered as a symbol of suffering, death, and waste. Sandburg frequently presents this motif with the image of blood, especially in War Poems. The blood image also has a …showed first 75 words of 1207 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1207 total…man is laughing to us" (Line 9). All three of these poems use the color red first as a symbol of passion or life, then combine it with the motif of blood. The result of this combination in each poem is one idea created from two images with dual, contrasting meanings. Though the idea expressed through this image in each poem is about life becoming death, the bigger theme is the paradox of progress versus peace.