Shel Silverstein poems all have one thing in common: they will always make you smile.
Sometimes, it’ll be a thoughtful smile. Other times it’ll be a giggling smile or even an unexpected one. But one thing’s for sure: reading his poetry is guaranteed to leave your mouth with upward, curving edges.
Silverstein was born in 1930 in Chicago. While he is widely known for his children’s books, such as “The Giving Tree” and “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” many people don’t know about Silverstein’s excellence when it comes to writing poetry.
His rhetoric and rhymes are whimsical, witty and even nonsensical at times. Yet, all Shel Silverstein poems seem to be positively charged with optimism, infused with a carefree spirit and soaked in melodic rhythms. Some may think he only wrote poetry for kids, but when you take a closer look at his poems, it’s clear he wrote for all ages.
Entity has compiled a list of our favorite Shel Silverstein poems that will at the very least, reconnect your current self with your younger, once carefree self. We hope you smile as much as we did while reading them.
1 “LISTEN TO THE MUSTN’TS” (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”)
Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
That’s right, anything can be. We are #womenthatdo — anything and everything, that is.
2 “Snowball” (“Falling Up”)
I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first—it wet the bed.
Shel Silverstein poems back at it again with the hilarity! Making pajamas for a pet snowball? How much more original does it get?
3 “I WON T HATCH” (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”)
Oh I am a chicken who lives in an egg,
But I will not hatch, I will not hatch.
The hens they all cackle, the roosters all beg,
But I will not hatch, I will not hatch.
For I hear all the talk of pollution and war
As the people all shout and the airplanes roar,
So I’m staying in here where it’s safe and it’s warm,
And I WILL NOT HATCH!
We can all relate to this one.
4 “PUT SOMETHING IN” (“A Light in the Attic”)
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.
Go do something silly today!
5 “EARLY BIRD” (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”)
Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird
And catch the worm for your breakfast plate.
If you’re a bird, be an early bird—
But if you’re a worm, sleep late.
Are you the early bird or the worm?
6 “COLORS” (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”)
My skin is kind of sort of brownish
Pinkish yellowish white.
My eyes are grayish blueish green,
But I’m told they look orange in the night.
My hair is reddish blondish brown,
But it’s silver when it’s wet.
And all the colors I am inside
Have not been invented yet.
And, they never will be because your inner colors will always be your own.
7 “FISH?” (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”)
The little fish eats the tiny fish,
The big fish eats the little fish—
So only the biggest fish gets fat.
Do you know any folks like that?
Just a few… not including myself of course…
8 “SCALE” (“Falling Up”)
If I could only see the scale,
I’m sure that it would state
That I’ve lost ounces… maybe pounds
Or even tons of weight.
“You’d better eat some pancakes—
You’re skinny as a rail.”
I’m sure that’s what the scale would say…
If I could see the scale.
#struggles #yep #prettymuch
9 “YEARS FROM NOW” (“Every Thing On It”)
Although I cannot see your face
As you flip these poems awhile,
Somewhere from some far-off place
I hear you laughing—and I smile.
See! We told you Shel Silverstein poems would make you smile.
