Here are some more of my favorite poems by one of my favorite poets, Shel Silverstein.

Shel Silverstein’s (1930-1999) poems were really written for young people, but that doesn’t stop me from liking and appreciating his work.  My third graders loved his poems, and we would use them as the basis for some of our productions in school concerts.  The children particularly liked his books, “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” “A Light in the Attic,” and “Falling Up.”  Along with the poems I’m sharing here, I also like his book “The Giving Tree,” which is really one long poem.  I would encourage you to check it out, if you’re not already familiar with it.

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost

“Sick”

By Shel Silverstein

 

“I cannot go to school today,”

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

“I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I’m going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox

And there’s one more—that’s seventeen,

And don’t you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut—my eyes are blue—

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I’m sure that my left leg is broke—

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button’s caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,

My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb.

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is—what?

What’s that?

What’s that you say?

You say today is. . .Saturday?

G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

 

“LISTEN TO THE MUSTN’TS”

By Shel Silverstein

 

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,

Listen to the DON’TS

Listen to the SHOULDN’TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT’S

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me-

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.

 

“MASKS”

By Shel Silverstein

 

She had blue skin,

And so did he.

He kept it hid

And so did she.

They searched for blue

Their whole life through.

Then passed right by–

And never knew.

 

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