what was your favorite shel silverstein poem? story? did you enjoy his work?

(My first story about Shel Silverstein...)

when I was eight I brought "Where the Sidewalk Ends" home from the school library. My mother was furious and wanted me to take it back. "He writes for adults" she said. That's when I found out he also wrote for Playboy. I had to show my mom all of the poems and how they were for kids so I didn't have to take back the book.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Answers

I was also introduced to Shel Silverstein when I was eight -- the cool third grade teacher suggested a dramatization of "The Gypsies Are Coming" for the school play. I thought I was so great, cause I got to one of the meek ones (they were worth the most). I think my favourite childrens poem was about poor Sylvia who would not take the garbage out. We used to see who could read it off the fastest without tripping. As an adult, however, I still can't make it through the ABZ book without stomach cramps from laughing. I had a copy of the "Hopscotch" page blown up, and asked a bunch of kids I know to help me colour it in. I kind of like the twisted humour/kids' crayons combo.

I'm bummed too.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Actually, I never remember authors names. I know, that's a really bad thing for a writer (of sorts) to admit. But I was reminded that he wrote the 'Giving Tree'. God, I loved that story.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I didn't learn who Shel Silverstein was until I was already out of highschool. Is that something akin to being a late bloomer? Actually, I recall my first impression of Shel Silverstein . . . I remember seeing the glossy black-&-white photo of Shel on the back of The Giving Tree and thinking, "What kind of little kid would ask their mom to buy them a book written by a man who looks like that?!" I had nightmares about dark men who looked like Shel in that picture. I still have nightmares about dark men who look like Shel in that picture! By the way, I never bought a copy of The Giving Tree. Hmm.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I think it was called "Sick," but I don't remember. I do, however, remember the words -

I can not go to school today
Said little Peggy Ann McKay

I have the measles and the mumps
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps...

The poem continues with endless complaints of illness until Peggy realizes that it is Saturday, and she goes out to play.

I loved that poem.

I also loved "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too" who "went for a ride in a flying shoe".

Does anyone remember the one about the guy who can't find his head, so he can't see, or hear, or anything else. Finally, he sits down on "a rock" to rest. The illustration had this gangly man sitting on a head; his own head.

That really freaked me out.

Then there was the one about how everyone is the same in the dark, and maybe God should just turn the lights out, so that we won't freak over differences.

All of those poems were wonderful.

Muffet

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Wow. I can't believe this happened. 'Nobody loves me/nobody cares/nobody sends me peaches and pears...' Remember that one? Where his best friend was Nobody? Man, this really bums me out too.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

My Aunt Dee bought me Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. I thought she was so cool for giving me those books that just let my imagination flow. I love the one about the girl who died because she couldn't have a pony. The Giving Tree was also a favorite, even though I still don't own it. He was a great man and I'm glad he got to live his life making little kids happy with his stories. RIP Shel and you will always be remembered.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

i'm bummed. i had "where the sidewalk ends" and "a light in the attic" i also loved the giving tree. i remember our librarian in elementry school reading that book to us. i also have an adorable reading of "Sylvia Stout would not take the garbage out" read by Tori Amos. Shel Silverstein was such a briliant mind, and i hope those librarians still read lil kids those books, because they made quite the impression on me. he will definately be missed.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout
Would not take the garbage out
She'd boil the pots and scour the pans...

I memorized that poem for some kind of event in the third or fourth grade. I'm surprised I remember that much, but wish I knew the rest. I loved that poem, as well as the "Ill" one. Though, my favorite book has to be "The Giving Tree", a book I just bought for my 7 year old niece. Wow, I am truly saddened.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

My favorite poem ever (it may be a little wrong):

"I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins..."

I always liked that idea of people cuddling each other instead of pulling against each other. It's a nice thought, isn't it?

Goodbye Shel. MellieBee

http://members.tripod.com/MellieBee

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

This seems to make me an odd one, but my favorite ones were the Missing Piece stories. To me, they were the most honest, and truest to what human beings put themselves through.

And if anyone cares to here it, Maurice Sendak collaborated a new book that's out: Swine Lake. If you see it in a book store, treat yourself and leaf through it.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Oh, here's a good site to find the poems that you sorta know the beginnings to but forgot how they end. If you want to share them here, don't forget the "br" tags between the lines so it does a break.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I'd like to spill a little malt liquor for my homie Shel. Unfortunately, all I think of when I hear his poems are bad high school peotry interpers. He was very popular in tournaments.

Pamie- I really agree with you about Rushmore. I didn't see that, but it's absolutely true. The kid who plays the kid was incredible in that movie though. It is dark, but I found that to be hilarious.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I was told last night that he died and I actually started crying. I never cry when celebrities die, but this was quite different.

I grew up at a summer camp where my mom worked and the library there had all of his books and I loved every single one of them.

My favorite remains Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. I still want that marshmellow suit.

Good luck Uncle Shelby, wherever you a

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

A few years ago, my friends daughter was having trouble learning to read, so I bought her a copy of "Where the Sidewalk Ends" for her birthday. She loved that book and would read it to everyone she could. For Christmas, I bought her "The Light In The Attic". I am happy to report, that thanks to Shel, Nikki can now read at her grade level.

Umm you all are going to hate me for this, but I never really cared much for "The Giving Tree".

Spitzka

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

reading him as a child was what sparked my interest in writing poetry...and though i don't favor rhymed poetry - there is such honest innocence in his words, how could one not appreciate him...

one of my favorites.....

Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda

All the Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
Layin' in the sun,
Talkin' bout the things
They woulda-coulda-shoulda done...
But those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
All ran away and hid
From one little did.
-Shel Silverstein

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I was so sad this morning to read that Shel had died, and made sadder by the fact that my daughter and I were reading poems last night from The Light in the Attic, and I was thinking how great he was and how glad I was that he was alive. But he wasn't. So I feel a big loss today. He was a wonderful writer, especially for children.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I met Shel Silverstein in Sausalito in the early 1970's sitting on a stone wall with my girlfriend, watching the cars on the main drag when he came walking by. It turned out Shel knew my girlfriend better than I understood. She introduced me and I complimented him on a story he had written for Playboy called Laficadio the Great some years before (I'm pretty sure that was the name, maybe a little different spelling, different word order.) He thanked me and smiled. It was a good story and he knew it and I could tell he appreciated the remark. He was OK, a Renaissance artist living in a specialized world. Wasn't altogether happy about his interest in my girlfriend, of course, but I was young and thoroughly stupid.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

you guys are making me cry... and i really shouldnt be crying at work. i hope the phone doesnt ring.

i loved his work. shel silverstein has always been my answer to "who is your favorite author/ poet/ writer ?" i'm really sad.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

I was shocked when I read that this morning. I very clearly remember when I was introduced to Shel's writing. In fourth grade my teacher Mr. Kraske had what he called "Candlelight Reading time" in the afternoon where he would close the blinds, turn off the flourescent lights, turn on a little lamp by his desk and light a candle, and sit in this leather chair by his desk and read to us. Mostly it was Shel Silverstein poems. I was hooked immediately. In fact, I think it was the only book I begged my mom to buy so I could read it with her.

That includes Mr. Popper's Penguins, which was a damned good book too.

But Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends, we pretty important to me, and bring back a lot of good memories from grade school. In fact, when I think about it, Mr. Kraske reading those poems to us is probably the clearest memory I have of grades K through 4.

Of course, in my later years, I learned to appreciate the, *ahem*, "articles" in Playboy....

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Oh, Shel... I'm 19 and have been reading Shel since I was 6 or so... I remember copying his illustrations on my own path to an art major, reading his poems in my room with a flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep, which I still do (read when I'm supposed to be asleep, that is...) and taking in his words and usage of them, sparking my own poetry which I hope to publish someday... You will be missed, Shel Silverstein...

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

Okay, I never read the Shel Silverstein books, and in fact I'd never heard of them until Jeremy pointed them out to me a few years ago. Thus, my favorite Shel Silverstein poem is "A Boy Named Sue." (Yes, he wrote that too ... along with a lot of other country music, including "Marie Laveau.")

-- Anonymous, May 11, 1999

This one opens _Where the Sidewalk Ends_, I think. I memorized it many years ago -- long before I consciously knew I wanted to be a writer, a storyteller. It still speaks to me. It's best read out loud (like many of his poems).

Invitation

If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by the fire,
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!
***

Go read his work. Buy one of his books for your kids, or your friends' kids. Do your part to make sure that he's remembered.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

My favorite:

My beard grows to my toes
I never wears no clothes
I wraps my hair around my bare
And down the road I goes

How great is that!

-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

Ack! I wrote about it briefly in my journal yesterday. I have a tape of his when he was going by Cowboy Steff and singing some of the children's songs that he wrote.

When I was teaching theatre for kids at a summer camp we used his poems to make a show for the parents. mary anne reminded me that Invitation was the opening of our show (I had forgotten).

I remember reading

Where the Sidewalk Ends

in Elementary School and performing some of them in my "gifted" classes.

"The Unicorn" is one of my favorites.

A friend of mine has an original hardback Folio of the sex book. That's a very interesting read.

ah me. la.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

Oh, geez, pick _one_? The Little Boy and the Old Man. Moon-catchin' net. It's all the same to the Clam. Invitation. The Missing Piece. Underwear. M is for Money.

But I think the one that made my heart feel the warmest was actually one from a coffee table sized book (now out of print) called _Different Dances_.

She enters my life Me becomes We

Keep on truckin', Uncle Shelby. I'm going to miss you.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

THE GIVING TREE is the worst book ever. 'Nuff said.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

My wife pointed me to an article in the Boston Globe that you'll like -- http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/132/living/Generous_gentle_and_a_poe t_of_import+.shtml

-- Anonymous, May 13, 1999

I don't know anything about Shel Silverstein and I've never knowingly heard any of his songs, but I thought it worth pointing out that he was uncle to Pamie's fellow journaler Kymm Zuckert. She writes about him in:

http://www.hedgehog.net/mightykymm/1999/may/051199.html

-- Anonymous, May 14, 1999

Ummm, David? I think you're taking Kymm's references to "Uncle Shelby" a bit too literally. He used that apellation in a couple of his books.

On a related note, I count my discovery of Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book amongst the milestones in my life. It took months for my writing style to recover, and it still bears the scars. :-)

-- Anonymous, May 16, 1999