I ADORE Shel Silverstein and all of his books and poetry. The man was a genius, pure and simple. His books were some of the first books that I purchased many years ago. Once you begin to read his work, you soon realize that his writing is meant to be enjoyed, and is, by everyone. I really appreciate his quirkiness, his sense of humour, and his odd, yet witty drawings.
I have all of his books, and often pull them out to read to my little people, although honestly, have found myself lingering well after bedtime stories have ended. In honour of today’s announcement, that his second posthumous collection will be published in 2011, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite poems. Although, picking just two is almost impossible.
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NO DIFFERENCE
Small as a peanut,
Big as a giant,
We’re all the same size
When we turn off the light.
Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite,
We’re all worth the same
When we turn off the light.
Re, black or orange,
Yellow or white,
We all look the same,
When we turn off the light.
So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!
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DANCIN’ IN THE RAIN
So what if it drizzles
And dribbles and drips?
I’ll splash in the garden,
I’ll dance on the roof.
Let it rain on my skin,
It can’t get in -
I’m waterproof.
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Just reading his stuff makes me happy. Do you have a favorite Shel Silverstein poem or book? I would love to hear it!
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Love his books. When I was a little girl, one of my teachers used to let us pick a number from 1 to however many page there were in the book. And whatever number you’d choose she’d turn to that page and read you that poem. We got so that we knew our favorite numbers.
I’ve already started reading them to V. Not that she gets them at all yet, but it’s still fun to read.
so funny that you posted this. My oldest daughter is a huge fan. The Giving Tree has always been her favorite book. She seemed to have lost touch with our Shel books until last night when she took A Light in the Attic from the bookshelf and started reading all her favorites to her little sister. Moon Catching Net is one of my favorites.
The Giving Tree. LOVE The Giving Tree. My son has that book, but only read it once to him, too sad.
I loved his books as a kid and still do. My favorite was Where the Sidewalk Ends. My 2nd grade teacher used to read these to us everyday. I had most the book memorized. To this day, whenever my daughter gives me a problem about going to school (tends to do that), I start reciting the Peggy Ann McKay poem to her.
Reading this post took me back to summer camp, where our counselors would read us a Shel Silverstein poem each night when we got in our bunks. Thanks for reminding me how much I love those poems – I need to go pick up “Where the Sidewalk Ends” to start reading them to my 3-year-old.
LOVE Shel Silverstein! We read from Falling Up every night and I don’t know what it is but it knocks home out every time.
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(I also posted this in your Awards & Mentions section, but wanted to agree about Shel Silverstein)
I loved Where the Sidewalk Ends & A Light in the Attic as a kid. I still have my copies & I’ve introduced them to my 7 year old. He loves them also.
It has been a long, long time since I read Shel Silverstein and I think it’s high time I introduce him to my son. Thanks for the reminder! So much fun…
Sarah Sylvia Cynthia Stout. It’s my all time favorite. I could always just picture this huge pile of trash. Crazy.
If you have to do the dishes, such and awful boring chore. If you have to do the dishes, stead of going to the store. If you have to do the dishes and you drop one on the floor, maybe you won’t have to do the dishes anymore.
When i was nine years old, we each had to memorize our favorite and say it to the class. All these years later and I still remember it. My girls adore Silverstein. I maybe should pull it out again soon.
I love Shel Silverstein and I cannot wait to share his books with my nearly eleven-month old daughter once she gets a little older. The poem that sticks in my mind is “SARAH CYNTHIA SYLVIA STOUT” but there are plenty of favorites!
I love Shel Silverstine but really question the decision to put his photo on his books.
just a visit from a sites
Hi lady! Stoppin’ by from SITS! lOVE, LOVE his books…remember them from elementary school!
http://thepursuitofmommyness.com/
We adore Shel Silverstein in our house! I could not pick a favorite. The Giving Tree is my daughter Chelsea’s favorite.
I remember my mom reading Where the Sidewalk Ends to us when we were little. Stopping from SITS!
Love Shel Silverstein! One that I remember from my childhood is “Sick.” At least, I think that is what it is called. Such good stuff.
I’ve always loved Shel Silverstein too. I can’t wait until my two are old enough to “get” his writing. So fun and oftentimes so true.
Shel Silverstein (shell turtlestein, right?) Anyway, the one that always brings tears to my eyes is “deaf donald.” Love that one…just adore it.
Fun topic, thank you!!
While I completely appreciate Shel Silverstein and love his work now… his poems kind of creeped me out as a kid. I was also deathly afraid of Falcor, from the Never Ending Story, so there you go.
Case in point:
Oh, I’m being eaten
By a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don’t like it–one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It’s nibblin’ my toe.
Oh, gee,
It’s up to my knee.
Oh my,
It’s up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It’s up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It’s up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It’s upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .
It didn’t help that my stepdad had a 6 foot boa constrictor in our garage. Sadly… Shel wasn’t one of my favorites.
We have most of his books now though!
But that is totally understandable, The Neverending Story is totally creepy and scary!!! Even now at 31 I still can’t sit through it.
Hi! — Stopping over from SITS. I love Shel! We have Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree. I love that he has funny, silly poems and sweet stories.
I’d say on of my favorite poems is Sarah Cynthian Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out. The title is a poem!
Absolutely love Shel Silverstein. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Phillips, favorite of all time and the reason I became a teacher, made us read and memorize his poems all the time.
My favorite? The first one I had to memorize in first grade:
How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes
If you have to dry the dishes
(Such an awful boring chore)
If you have to dry the dishes
(‘Stead of going to the store)
If you have to dry the dishes
And you drop one on the floor
Maybe they won’t let you
Dry the dishes anymore
Still know it BY HEART! 25 years later!!!
Sick is my fave! Has been since 1st grade.
Awww! Those are great! I think I need more Shel in my life. We only have one of his books – Giraffe and a Half. After reading those poems, I think I’ve got to get to Barnes & Noble.
Too funny! I am reading Where The Sidewalk Ends to my dd now and I was thinking about posting about it! My kids favorite book is Giraffe and a Half…they think it’s hilarious!
Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out is probably my favorite, but I do love all of his books and poems. Thanks for sharing your favs as well.
I love the one about being eaten by a boa constrictor, but how about “A Boy Named Sue”? Shel wrote that Johnny Cash classic, and I like to teach it to my grade 5 students (the bleeped version of course!)
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy Jane
She wants a drink of water
So she waits
And waits
And waits
And waits
And waits
For it to rain
Might have messed up the line breaks…
Oh, and this one.
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m289/the_shankmaster/video/?action=view¤t=MOV02540.flv