My Favorite Shel Silverstein Poem

Listen to the Mustn'ts

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.


Why This Poem is My Favorite
This poem to me is a great example of why Shel is such a wonderful writer. His poems are always like tiny short stories. They start off with a problem at the beginning, and then are resolved or come to a grand conclusion at the end.   Also, he is often uplifting in his poems. He addresses that life can be difficult, but that perseverance and hope are necessary to achieve your dreams.

 

Excerpt from The Giving Tree

But the boy stayed away for a long time…

And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could
hardly speak.

”Come, Boy” she whispered, “Come and play”.


”I am too old and sad to play”, said the boy. “I want a boat
that will take me away from here. Can you give me a boat?”

”Cut down my trunk and make a boat”, said the tree. “Then
you can sail away… and be happy”.

And so the boy cut down her trunk
And made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy…

But not really.


Why I Included This Excerpt
This excerpt is the only time that the author shows that the tree is not really happy. It gives and gives to the boy, but it never gets anything in return. The boy does not seem to care about everything that he has been given. We do the same thing with the plants and animals that make it easy for us to live. We cut down forests. We farm for vegetables and kill cows and chickens in droves for our burgers and nuggets. This is not sustainable. Eventually our giving tree, the earth, will be nothing more than a stump. The earth is not happy just like the tree is not happy and we shouldn't pretend.

Description Assignment

This assignment was to use describing words, or adjectives to create a poem.




Sweet Sun

Sweet sun is extra bright, shining sublimely on azure seas
Adding extra glimmer to stubborn seagulls, and teeny bumble bees.
Jovial beachgoers and skittering critters all come out to play
Even cynical curmudgeons and homely hermits come to visit the bay
Streaking sun is almost done and capriciously flees the sky
We each bid the sparkly beach adieu with a little satisfied sigh

image from: 123rf.com

Homonym Assignment

This assignment was to use homonyms, or words that have the same sounds but different meanings.


Wanna Make a Bet?

My auntie's upped the ante at being the better bettor.
She uses her senses to census the world to see what her bets can get her
She takes drafts on draughts and and gauges gages
Bets on lambs on the lam from their cages
hare's hairs, does who doze, and yaks who yack all day long
Which witch is the best, and if the toon's tune was sung wrong.
It's succor for this sucker to know I can use my shoes to shoo myself away
and that conking my aunt on the head with a conch is not the only way

image from: cartoonstock.com

Contractions Assignment

This assignment was to create a poem that used as  many contractions as possible.

Bad Voodoo

I shouldn't have done a spell today.
I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you.
I'd hoped that you would come out to play,
But you couldn't 'cause you's gotten the flu.

I could've, should've, would've thought it'd really be okay.
I didn't think of where those sneezes would go.
I couldn't, wouldn't, didn't think that here the flu would stay.
Why'd the flu get stuck in me? I'll never know.

image from:

giritharanj-wintermalady.blogspot.com

Onset and Rime Assignment

This assignment was to choose a rime and write a poem using onsets and that rime. I chose the ending -ing. 

The Broken Gear

there's a ringing in my head.
that's wringing me out of my bed
clinging to my ears
slinging and swinging and bringing me nothing but dread.

I sprang up when it grew near
the clanging is all I hear
hanging around
banging, pranging, and really haranguing me to fix that gear

Image from: thisiswhyimbroke.com

Rhyme Scheme Assignment

Our assignment was to choose a rhyme scheme and write a poem. My rhyme scheme is below.
AABBA

Sad Vlad
I’m villainous vampire vlad
But you see, I’m really not bad
I never brushed above or beneath
And now you see I’ve lost all my teeth
Which makes me really quite sad
 A vampire should give you a scare
And now I just hide in my lair
All night and day I scare no one away
Except with my withering stare

image from:

 rosey-so-silly.deviantart.com