I absolutely adore Shel Silverstein! I guess his poems are written for children, but his wisdom is universal and so beautifully accessible. He is whimsical and light and sweet, while he often deals with challenging subjects. I loved reading his books to my sons when they were young, and then to my grandchildren in more recent years. But I’ve also used some of his poems in speeches on leadership topics and for life lessons among friends. He has a lovely ability to touch that special note of lightness and fun and then end with something serious or really important---an unexpected twist. And his books are filled with his drawings that are crazy and funky, so even if the subject is a hard one, the drawing makes it seem lighter so the message can be delivered without a glancing blow. Children get that; adults often need that too.
You can tell by all this that he truly is one of my very favorites. And, having said that, I cannot choose only one poem. Many of his poems are quite short anyway. So, here is my very carefully selected version of the best of Shel Silverstein, curated for what I hope will tap your interests at this point in your journey. I do wish that you enjoy these delicious poems.
Magic
Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie’s touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins’ gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I’ve had to make myself.
MAGIC CARPET
You have a magic carpet
That will whiz you through the air,
To Spain or Maine or Africa
If you just tell it where.
So will you let it take you
Where you’ve never been before,
Or will you buy some drapes to match
And use it
On your
Floor?
THE VOICE
There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
“I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong.”
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What’s right for you---just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.
THREE STINGS
George got stung by a bee and said,
“I wouldn’t have got stung if I’d stayed in bed.”
Fred got stung and we heard him roar,
“What am I being punished for.”
Lew got stung and we heard him say,
“I learned somethin’ about bees today.”
TIRED
I’ve been working so hard you just wouldn’t believe,
And I’m tired!
There’s so little time and so much to achieve,
And I’m tired!
I’ve been lying here holding the grass in its place,
Pressing a leaf with the side of my face,
Tasting the apples to see if they’re sweet,
Counting the toes on a centipede’s feet.
I’ve been memorizing the shape of that cloud,
Warning the robins to not chirp so loud,
Shooing the butterflies off the tomatoes,
Keeping an eye out for floods and tornadoes.
I’ve been supervising the work of the ants
And thinking of pruning the cantaloupe plants,
Timing the sun to see what time it sets,
Calling the fish to swim into my nets,
And I’ve taken twelve thousand and forty-one breaths,
And I’m TIRED!