FOG INTRODUCTION

In A Nutshell
It's short, it's cute, and it makes sense. It's not every day we can say that here at
Shmoop, but this time we really mean it.

Carl Sandburg packs a big punch in his six-line poem, "Fog," first published in 1916.
But the punch isn't a mean one or a confusing one either. It's a cute one instead that
looks like a kitty and gets us thinking about more than justfog and cats. And that's no
easy feat, considering that each word belonging to such a short poem must carry lots of
profound ideas to get us going.

To top it all off, Sandburg is known for speaking a "language of the

people,"meaning he's not trying to throw in a bunch of ideas and words that everyday
folks can't really identify with. Using this kind of simple language could also explain why
he packs so much meaning into so few words. In fact, he's often compared to Walt
Whitman because of the sort of ease and simplicity he demonstrates in his work without
getting super-highbrow on us.

"Fog" is no exception. The simple metaphors and imagery he uses captivate our
imaginations and evoke a broad spectrum of emotions and ideas ranging anywhere
between surprise, awe, and fear, to name a few. And since it's so short, you might even
feel compelled to give it a few reads and see how many different ideas come to mind.

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Besides it being short and simple, "Fog" looks cool too, and we're not just saying that
because we have to. Imagine the creeping and quiet way a fogtends to roll in. It's
mysterious, unpredictable, maybe even a little scary, and who doesn't like imagining
stuff that looks like that?

With all that imagination exercise, you might even feel inspired to brew up a few of your
own pithy metaphors. They might even prove useful if you're ever stuck in a fog and in
need of some figurative language to help lift those spirits.
 And even if you don't give a hoot about pithy metaphors, you'll likely encounter a similar
looking fog somewhere at some point that will get you thinking about its catlike ways.
And hey, that's cool all by itself. So whether or not you want to knock your friends off
their feet with some figurative language, chances are you'll get a nod or two that
acknowledges Carl Sandburg's awesome metaphor.

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Fog
The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

FOG SUMMARY
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The fog rolls in over a harbor and city, looking mighty catlike. At first it's quiet and
unsuspecting, like a cat. Then, again very much like a cat, it moves on and either
disappears or pounces on another harbor/city. And the fog does all of this in a whopping
space of only six lines.
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STANZA 1 SUMMARY
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Get out the microscope, because were going through this

poem line-by-line.
Lines 1-2
The fog comes
on little cat feet.

Sandburg isn't wasting any time. We get the subject and themetaphor within these first
two lines that compare the fog to a cat without using the words "like" or "as." The effect
is one that gets us imagining the fog in a catlike way right from the beginning.
Imagine if these lines were a simile
instead, and read something like this: "The fog comes as if it has little cat feet." Notice
the big difference between the original metaphor and our simile. The former is much
more direct and powerful while the latter is a bit subtler and doesn't really fuse the cat
and fog into one solid image.
So although we know this is a short poem, we can already see the devices Sandburg is
using to most effectively get his ideas across in a limited amount of time.
The arrival of the fog in the first line gives the impression that it's moving slowly towards
us. It's not jumping or throwing itself at us, rather it "comes" in a gradual sort of way.
 Notice too that the cat-fog seems to be creeping up on us, just like a cat. It has "little cat
feet" which kind of sounds like it's tiptoeing towards us without anyone suspecting it.
The enjambment between lines 1 and 2 not only creates a fluid sound for the metaphor,
but also gets that image of a cat-fog across without any punctuation interruptions. So the
speaker is making the most of his time here while mimicking the gradual movement of
the fog. (For more on enjambment, check out "Form and Meter.")
The connotation of the word "little" also serves to emphasize its sneaky, creeping, and
quiet arrival. If it instead had "big" feet or just read as "cat feet," the creeping connotation
wouldn't be as obvious to us, right?
By the end of line 2 we have the image and metaphor of the creeping catlike fog settled
pretty neatly in our minds, and that period serves to provide a moment to pause and fully
appreciate the metaphor.
Even if you stop reading here, we're pretty sure the next time you see a fog approaching
in the distance you'll think of this metaphor. So Sandburg has done a lot in only two
lines.

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STANZA 2 SUMMARY
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Get out the microscope, because were going through this

poem line-by-line.
Lines 3-4
It sits looking
over harbor and city

By line 3 we notice the fog isn't moving anymore. It's sitting and "looking" over the harbor
and city, which tells us it's covering more space now. So it's not just on its way
anymore. It's here.
We can also feel a passing of time that's occurred since we're now at the start of a new
line that indicates a change in the appearance of the fog. It's almost as if we've moved
with it.
When we imagine the metaphor of a fog looking catlike, we can actually see the fog here
"sitting" as a cat would, kind of sprawled out a bit (depending on how many treats it's
had) and taking up way too much room on the foot of our bed, so to speak.
So by now the fog is hovering over the harbor and city checking out the scenery as a cat
might. We know that fog tends to accumulate a lot more near harbors, adding to that
sitting, catlike shape it seems to have once it's settled over an area.
There's more enjambment too between lines 3 and 4, which just like last time, keeps the
flow of the metaphor and image without any distractions that come with punctuation. No
stops, no pauses.
What about the mood? Is there something ominous, maybe even frightening about these
lines? We can almost feel it watching us, even if we're not there. It's "over" us which
adds to that looming, impending sense of uncertainty and perhaps fear. When things are
"over," or above us, we tend to feel more vulnerable.
And again, just like a cat, we're not sure what that fog will do. It could pounce at any
moment or just slink away into the shadows. But since it's "looking" over us, we get the
sense that there is a possibility of danger in its presence.
The word "city" also gives the impression that we're not the only ones vulnerable to that
fog. There are many more people there too who may be just as anxious and curious as
to what the fog will do next. Check out the "Setting" section for more.

Lines 5-6
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Sandburg is extending the metaphor of the fog looking catlike by including this line of it
sitting and looking "on silent haunches." Haunches are kind of like a cat's thighs, and
they're the parts that enable kitty to jump and pounce as far as she'd like to.
 Notice too the repetition of the word "on" that we saw first in line 2 and see again here in
line 5. It seems the speaker is really keeping the metaphor of the cat-fog together by
reminding us that the two are fused into this one image. The fog is "on" little cat feet and
"on" silent haunches.
What do we make of the image of "silent haunches?" Maybe the word "silent" adds to
the mysterious ways of the fog and its unpredictability. And perhaps the word
"haunches" reminds us of the possibility of it moving in a quick, powerful, and equally
unpredictable way. Put them together and we got ourselves a powerful and potentially
dangerous weather system that may be a symbol for some bigger ideas. Check out
"Symbols and Imagery" for more.
We get more enjambment too in these lines. In fact, the entire second half of the poem is
combined into one continuous image and thought. Check out "Form and Meter" for
more.
The line break between 5 and 6 heightens our sense of anxiety as to what the fog will do
next. Maybe it will pounce on our heads, maybe it will move on. But that break
nonetheless makes us pause and dangles all possibilities over our heads.
By line 6 we learn that the cat-fog is on the move again. Sigh of relief. It's using those
"silent haunches" to move elsewhere, though we're not sure what the point of destination
is. But we do know it's moving and could pounce on another harbor/city if it chooses to.
Consider though the dramatic change of mood that occurs between these last two lines.
Within seconds we go from feeling anxious to somewhat relieved.
So how the heck did Sandburg manage to do all of this in only two lines? It's not just
because the guy's a poetry wiz
If we take a step back and consider all of the devices we've made note of, we begin to
see that the effect is a combination of simple and yet poignant words that create a sense
of unpredictability, danger, and power: "silent haunches." Then he has a line break that
heightens our sense of anxiety and wonder. And finally we get that concluding image of
the cat-fog moving on while we breathe a sigh of relief.
So not only do we end the poem with an awesome image/metaphor in mind, but we also
feel as if we've been taken for an emotional rollercoaster that lasted all of ten seconds.
We may also think about all of the things that happen in our lives in the same sort of way
that the fog seems to creep up on us and then suddenly disappear.
Check out "Themes" for more on that idea.
And last, but not least, we notice the repetition of that word "on" again at the very end of
line 6. Sandburg appears to be keeping his metaphor very neat and solidly fused into
this one image of a cat-fog. It looks like a cat and "moves on" as cat. There's no
 deviating from that image which makes the entire poem resonate in our minds even
more.

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FOG
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Symbol Analysis
It's mysterious, unpredictable, and a little scary. It can come out of nowhere and drop
right on your head without much of a warning. And then, like a kitty, it moves on leaving
us kind of in awe as we wonder where it's going next. Wrapped up in the fog is its
uncertainty, and maybe even questions about similar occurrences that happen in life
that seem to come out of nowhere and then disappear. Seeing that the fog is
everywhere in the poem, we get the sense that it functions poetically in the same way it
does in nature. It envelops nature just like it does the poem (and our imaginations).

Title: It's first in the title. So in a way the fog hovers over the poem in the same way it
does in nature.
Line 1: The fog "comes" which puts us immediately in the perspective of watching its
approach. We're not sure where it will end up, so we're already feeling a little anxious
and curious about its movement.
Line 2: It comes on "little cat feet" which is a metaphor that suggests it's quiet and a little
sneaky in the way it creeps up on us. It's not yet enveloping the city, but it's on its way.
 Lines 3-4: Now that it's here, we feel that some time has passed between its approach
and arrival. It's "sitting" and "looking" over the city and harbor which adds to that looming
anxiety as to what it will do next. Maybe it will fall on our heads, maybe not.
Lines 5-6: Those "silent haunches" add to our sense of the fog being a little dangerous
because it's so unpredictable. It can pounce on us with those "haunches" or slink away.
By the last line it "moves on," and we breathe a sigh of relief.

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CAT
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Symbol Analysis
Fogs and cats are one and the same in this poem. They're fused into one
solid metaphor right from the beginning. First the fog approaches "on littlecat feet" and
then sits on "silent haunches" before "mov[ing] on." So we see the fog moving in the
same way a cat does. In moving like a cat, we also assume that the fog will behave like
one too in the same sort of unpredictable, mysterious, maybe even dangerous way. So
we leave the poem with the possibility of the outcome of the fog perhaps turning out to
be a bit different next time. That "mov[ing] on" part suggests that we're not sure where it
will go or what it will do.

Line 2: The fog is on "little cat feet" and we know those little paws can move rather
quickly if they want to and can jump pretty far too. There are lots of questions in those
little feet.
 Lines 3-4: By the second half of the poem, the fog and cat are one. Wherever
the fog goes, we see it as a cat. So here it's sitting and looking in that cool catlike way.
Maybe kitty is impressed, maybe not, but we'll never know what kitty is thinking.
Line 5: Those "silent haunches" carry lots of connotation in only two words. The "silent"
part seems to evoke our sense of question and uncertainty, while the "haunches" allude
to the potential of the cat-fog's power and speed.
Line 6: But by the very end it "moves on," so we're not so anxious anymore. Kitty isn't
interested in pouncing on our heads today. That's not to say she won't be tomorrow
though

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MOVEMENT IMAGERY
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Symbol Analysis
Just like the fog, the feeling of movement is present throughout the poem. Sometimes it
pauses ("it sits looking"), but there's always a constant progression occurring in terms of
the fog's presence and movement. And since the fog is fused with the imagery of a cat,
we also see all of these moves in a way that looks rather catlike.

Line 1: First the fog "comes" on those "little cat feet." It's the beginning stage of the sort
of movement we get in the poem. It's the approach and the anxiety that comes along
with it while we wait.
Although there's a line break between Lines 2 and 3, we understand that some time has
 passed there since the fog looks different by Line 3. So, although we didn't "see" the
movement, we know it's occurred within that line break.
Line 3: Then it "sits looking," which suggests we have a short pause in the actual
"moving" part of the fog's movement. But, even as it sits, we understand that it could be
on the move again at any moment. It's unpredictable and potentially powerful.
Line 6: By the end, it "moves on" and leaves us feeling somewhat relieved. We can't
move with the fog at this point since it's no longer over our heads, but we nonetheless
watch its departure and wonder where it will go next.

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ANALYSIS: FORM AND METER

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Free Verse
As a relatively straight-to-the-point kind of guy, Sandburg had his share of critics that
expressed some difficulties getting around the fact that he just doesn't feel the need to
create neatly packaged forms and meters for his work. Some thought it was too simple,
while others praised him for his simplicity. Sandburg simply thought that if a rhyme
works, then sure: use it; if not, no big deal.

So it's no surprise that "Fog" is free in terms of meter and form. In fact, all of
the enjambment we see maintains the poem's flow between the movement of its
extended metaphor and sets of images that likewise have some movement to them.
Take a look again at lines 1 and 2 that blend everything together into one solid image of
that creeping cat-fog. It's almost as if we're moving with the fog and feel the passing of
time between its approach ("comes on little cat feet") and its arrival ("it sits looking").

The movement between line breaks also contributes to the poem's transition between
moods, beginning with an anticipation that leads us to a sort of anxious uncertainty, and
then ends with relief as the fog "moves on."

All in all, no matter how simple and short Sandburg's poem may be, he nevertheless
manages to say a lot with only a few words without resorting to conventional techniques
of form and meter. It's as if the poem's simplicity is also seen in its form without any
need for fancy devices. Pretty impressive, no?

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ANALYSIS: SPEAKER
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Our speaker is an observer just like us. He's got an active voice that places us right in
the front seat as we watch the fog's approach and eventual departure. He speaks in a
present tense that makes us feel as if we're in the moment even more. And he's not
trying to speak over our heads about anything. He kind of sounds like us, only he's got
some poetic chops that provide some awesome metaphors and imagery.

He's also very casual and cool about the whole thing while still managing to capture
those different emotions we may feel while watching the fog. So although he's not crying
or yelling at us about anything, his coolness adds to the poignancy of his words even
more. Sometimes a whisper carries much further than a shout.
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SETTING ANALYSIS: WHAT'S UP

WITH THE TITLE?
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The poem's title"Fog"is just as short and simple as the poem itself. It doesn't waste
any time and makes the most of its contribution to thepoem. No need to dress it up with
fancy words and obscure terminologies. The poem's about "fog" so might as well use
a title that avoids any confusion.

Interestingly, although the title gets right to the point, the "point" is still a mysterious one,
since fog is by nature rather unpredictable and a little dangerous. So, even though
the title doesn't create any illusions as to what the poem is about, it still sets us up for
some imagery and language that serves to capture that elusive movement of fog.

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Where It All Goes Down

Since it's quite foggy in these parts, and we know the fog hovers over "harbor and city"
we can assume we're in a place that has these kinds of weather patterns. We don't get
any specifics as to the name of this particular city, but we don't really need
any. Fog tends to look and feel the same no matter where you go.

But perspective matters in this poem, so although it's foggy, we also know that the
speaker is watching the fog in a place that allows him to see its approach. So maybe
we're in a city with skyscrapers, Chicago perhaps (the collection that this poem appears
in is called Chicago Poems), where we know there's fog, harbors, and
spots where people can watch weather patterns roll in from.

And that backdrop of the city is really what helps to establish the tension in this poem.
The fog comes mysteriously creeping in, around a whole city of unsuspecting people. Is
it dangerous? What will it do to them? Ah, nothing (as it turns out)but the
city setting is what allows for the hint of threat in the first place.

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ANALYSIS: SOUND CHECK

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We know Sandburg isn't all that crazy about rhyme scheme and all the devices that go
along with them. Sure you may see a few in some of his poems, but they're not the
prevailing elements. However, there are a few subtle sound patterns that we can hear in
"Fog."

For example, line 2 has those "little cat feet" that sound the same way they look. The
repetition of that T sound in those three words is not only an example
of consonance but also has a staccato (short and choppy) sound that makes us think of
tiny kitty paws. So we may have someonomatopoeia going on in that phrase that
mimics the creeping pitter-pattering sound of a kitty walking.

Line 6 also sounds the way it looks and feels too: "and then moves on." The casual way
the speaker ends the poem reflects the nonchalant way a cat (and fog) might "move
on." There's no rhyme or reason (for people other than meteorologists) as to why it
chooses to linger at some points and then suddenly move elsewhere. The cat-fog is
mysterious, after all, and the sound of this poem helps to get that point across.

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ANALYSIS: CALLING CARD

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Cool and Collected

Sandburg paved the way for what we now recognize to be the style of Beat poetry. His
simplicity, poignancy, and language of the people made his sort of poetry perfect for the
tell-it-like-it-is approach we saw later in the 1940s and '50s in America.

His work isn't dressed up with fancy words or allusions that only academics can
recognize. And although this earned him quite a bit of criticism from some literary
juggernauts, the people who enjoy his work appreciate his style that continues to inspire
artists today. Heck, there are even a bunch of schools and parks named after the guy.
Who needs critics when you can have a park?

So, if you dig his cut to the chase vision in "Fog," you'll likely see more of it in his other
works.

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(2) Sea Level

It's not just the length of the poem that makes it relatively easy for us to digest. It's also
the language and the ease with which the speaker tells the poem. The words aren't too
daunting, and since it's free verse, we don't feel bogged down by all the literary devices
that come with some more technical types of form and meter. We can just dig the cat-
fog and let our imaginations take it from there.

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ANALYSIS: TRIVIA
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Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge

Sandburg was "distinguished" in five separate fields: poetry, history, biography, fiction,
AND music. A little bit of fog isn't stopping this guy. (Source.)

Sandburg envisioned Chicago as a city of "big shoulders" in his collection. (Source.)

Sandburg once sang a song that he said "smells of saddle leather" (and sounded like
folk music). (Source.)

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ANALYSIS: STEAMINESS
RATING
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Exactly how steamy is this poem?

G
The fog isn't particularly sexy here. In fact, you might be hard pressed to find a poem by
Sandburg that is sexy. He's often cited in children's literature, so we're not dealing with
racy material.

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FOG THEME OF AWE AND

AMAZEMENT
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Bear in mind that feeling amazed by something doesn't necessarily mean you'll be
swooning and falling to pieces over its beauty. You might instead sound something like
Sandburg's speaker in "Fog" who is clearly digging the awesome scope of nature's fog
but doesn't need to shout at you and clutter his words with a bunch of exclamation
points. He's cool about it, but the awe and amazement are definitely there.

Questions About Awe and Amazement

 1. Even though Sandburg doesn't include words like "awesome," how do we know his
speaker is amazed by the fog he sees rolling in?
2. What's important about the fog looming over the "harbor and city" and how do these
lines contribute to the feeling of awe and anxiety?
3. What about the length of the poem? If something strikes you as amazing, is it always
necessary to say a lot about it?
4. How does all of the cat imagery contribute to the speaker's sense of awe and
amazement? What's happening to his imagination?

Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devils advocate.

Sometimes using the right words, like "silent haunches," is enough to get a poet's
meaning acrosswithout needing to write a book about it. Short and sweet can be
enough.

Ever been speechless? An indication of true amazement is often found when a speaker,
like the one we have in "Fog," appears to be at a loss for words.

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FOG THEME OF CHANGE

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Yikes. Change can be a scary word sometimes. We don't know how we'll feel after the
change and we're often wondering about it before it even happens. Change is a tricky
phenomenon and we get a sense of this in "Fog." Sometimes it's forced upon us and
sometimes we may want things to change, even though that might not happen. Still,
when change does occur, we're often feeling like our speaker, wondering how it got
there in the first place and what will happen once it's gone.

Questions About Change

1. How do we know time has passed in the poem and that the fog has changed in
appearance?
2. What does change feel like in this poem? Does it make us feel excited, anxious,
inspired, confused?
3. Why is a cat a perfect symbol for change? What kind of behavior is often equated to
cats?
4. Is the length of the poem any indication as to how quickly change might occur? Why or
why not?

Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devils advocate.

Change is often healthy and necessary. Heck, even Mother Nature seems to think so as
she "moves on" in Sandburg's poem.

Change is nothing more than a state of mind. We're always the same in the end, no
matter if a fog is falling on our heads or not.

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FOG THEME OF MAN AND THE

NATURAL WORLD
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"Fog" is about well, fogso we have to talk about nature for a minute. We don't really
get a sense of conflict between man and the natural world, rather we see in this poem
more of a meditation on the relationship between man and his understanding of the
natural world. We see the speaker blending elements of nature into one image (cat-fog)
and then trying to simulate the effects nature has on him through the language and form
of the poem.

Questions About Man and the Natural World

1. How does the speaker seem to regard the fog? How does he feel about it?
2. Who or what seems to have the upper hand in this particular relationship between man
and nature? Why?
3. Why would the speaker blend elements of nature into one image? How does he make
sense of the world around him?
4. How does the style of Sandburg's language contribute to this theme of nature and man?
Is there some sort of connection we can find between the simplicity of his language and
nature itself?

Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devils advocate.

Like a boss, Nature comes out on top in more ways than one in Sandburg's poem, as it
envelops an entire harbor and city and reminds us of who (or what) is in charge.

Can't quite grasp it? Our imaginations tend to fill in the blanks for us when trying to
understand the natural world in "Fog."

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FOG AWE AND AMAZEMENT

QUOTES
See more famous quotes from poetry

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How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1
The fog comes
on little cat feet. (1-2)
It's pretty amazing to suddenly see a fog with little cat feet. Immediately we understand
that the speaker is so inspired by what he's seeing that he needs to come up with the
perfect metaphor to get his vision across. And it works mighty well, doesn't it?

Awe and Amazement

Quote #2
It sits looking
over harbor and city (3-4)
The fog is hovering over us, reminding us that it's bigger than us and can therefore do
what it wants. Since it's "looking over" us, we also know we're a bit vulnerable to it which
can leave us feeling in awe and perhaps even inspired.

Awe and Amazement

Quote #3
and then moves on. (6)
 It comes just as easily as it goes. One minute it's there and we're wondering what will
happen next, and then it's gone, like most amazing things.

Awe and Amazement

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FOG CHANGE QUOTES

See more famous quotes from poetry

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How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1
The fog comes
on little cat feet. (1-2)
The fog comes just as unpredictably as it goes. Change in the poem creeps up on the
speaker like those kitty paws and changes the landscape in only six lines.

Change
Quote #2
over harbor and city (4)
 Sometimes change can affect many people all at once and we get a sense of this when
the speaker mentions the word "city." Of course the effects of change may be different,
but here we sense the scope of it.

Change
Quote #3
and then moves on. (6)
Change, just like the fog, doesn't stick around and wait for us to get comfortable.
Oftentimes it just shows up, turns things upside down, and then "moves on."

Change

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How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1
The fog comes
on little cat feet. (1-2)
The speaker is immediately blending elements of nature into one metaphor right from
the beginning. We're starting to see an attempt to understand fog through human
imagination as the speaker immediately creates an image that we can relate to.
Man and the Natural World
Quote #2
It sits looking
over harbor and city (3-4)
It sounds as if the speaker recognizes the enormous size and scope of nature in the
context of fog. It's covering "man" and the world he created, emphasizing its power and
potential.

Man and the Natural World

Quote #3
and then moves on. (6)
The speaker can't really say where exactly it's moving, just like we can't always explain
stuff that happens in nature. Sometimes we can only watch and wait and see what
happens next.

Man and the Natural World

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FOG QUESTIONS
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Bring on the tough stuff - theres not just one right answer.
1. Why do you think Sandburg chose to begin his poem with a metaphor rather than a
simile? What's the difference?
2. How does all of the enjambment contribute to the movement of the poem (and fog)?
3. How does fog move in a catlike way? Why is the imagery of a cat's movements so
important to the poem?
4. How do we know that some time has passed after Lines 1 and 2? What kinds of words
does the speaker use to indicate this passage of time?
5. How does the repetition of the word "on" contribute to the metaphor of a cat-fog?

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