Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

Whatif

By Shel Silverstein

The poem is remarkably wit and in a funny playful way presents the worrying nature of the human being. Even at night, when we just want to lay in bed we simply cannot stop thinking of all the things that could happen to us.

The image of the “whatifs” crawling into his ear and partying all night long is really hilarious although the poet probably intended to describe them as tiny annoying creatures. Therefore the whole image created in the poem is funny, yet peculiar.

The attitude is optimistic as there is a common thing for people to get worried and concerned, but it is maybe more important to approach all these endless worries with a smile on your face. The fact that in the end we are told that “Everything seems well and then/the nighttime Whatifs strike again!” proves once again that nothing can be done to change the course of nature.

When reading all the questions in the poem I felt as if I was watching myself in the mirror and that is why I do believe that those reading it might feel the same.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

Where the Sidewalk Ends

By Shel Silverstein

The poem points out the main differences between the great world of childhood, full of joy and imagination, with no worries, and the land of grown-ups where things are different. The boundaries between the two are where the sidewalk ends and the street begins.

The sidewalk provides children with safety, comfort and causes no worries while the street is full of dangers and responsibilities. The line “Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow” urges us not to hurry towards the place where the sidewalk ends as there might be, we assume, no turning point.

The writer’s attitude is positive as he presents the place to be just like a magical land where “the grass grows soft and white”, “the sun burns crimson bright” and “the moon-bird rests from his flight/to cool in the peppermint wind”.

I recommend this popular poem to children who need to be warned about the hardships of adult life as well as to grown-ups who need to be reminded how amazing childhood days were.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

The Unicorn

By Shel Silverstein

This poem sounds like a Biblical story in which we are told why there are no more unicorns. It describes how pairs of animals of all kinds were gathered on Noah’s ark in order to be saved from the flooding except from the unicorns which didn’t listen to any of the warnings as they “were hidin', playin' silly games”.

The attitude of the poet is a pessimistic one as it is sad to know that there are no longer unicorns but he just offers us an explanation and somehow sends a clear message: awful things happen when we do not listen to what we are told.

The moral of the poem is to be remembered and that is why people of all ages, not just children, should read and learn from it. Nice things can forever disappear if we are “deaf” and ignorant.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

The Meehoo with an Exactlywatt

By Shel Silverstein

The entire poem sounds like an everyday and ordinary conversation but obviously spiced up with the right amount of humor and wit. It is abundant of words play and rhyming and it creates a hilarious atmosphere.

The attitude is bubbly and after reading the lines you realize you still remember some of the cleverly built combinations of words. Therefore, the writer has achieved his goal: making people enjoy and remember his poem.

From the beginning you wonder how and if the poem ends but it continues and continues up to a turning point where you would think that it is over but, to your surprise, it’s cyclical restarting in the very same way as it began “  Knock knock”.

I strongly recommend this poem to everyone who wants to be amused and see how simple but wisely chosen words can help us change our perspective and become more outgoing.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

The Loser

By Shel Silverstein

This poem begins with the well-known warning “Mama said I'd…” which draws our attention right away. It warns us of what might happen if we lose our head and along with it our eyes and ears and mouth.

The poet tells us in a funny way that once we lose our heads we risk losing everything else. And when we think we get stuck, we just need to sit and rest for a while.

The attitude of the writer is clearly an optimistic one as he does not see this unhappy incident as the end but rather as an experience that we have to take the time to meditate on.

So, there is a lesson to be learned from this quite short but dense and profound poem: try and keep your head on your shoulders unless you want to find yourself in such a terrible situation. This message make the poem be worth reading by everyone who wants to learn not from their mistakes but others’.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

The Boa Constrictor Song

By Shel Silverstein

Just like any of his poems for children, “The Boa Constrictor” is extremely amusing though it might sound scary to some kids, especially those who are really afraid of snakes. But the image of a man being eaten by a snake is becoming somehow hilarious and it does no longer make you feel frightened.

The scene is growing progressively, the man being eaten first up to his toe, then up to his knee, then up to his middle, his chest, his neck until he gets completely “swallered”. The attitude is quite an optimistic one as, despite the unfortunate incident, the poet is presenting everything in an entertaining, funny light.

The whole experience is seen from an amusing point of view and the very final word is definitely the climax of it: BURP.

Everyone should try and read this poem as it is something different from any poem for children I have read. The nicest thing about it is that it leaves it to the reader to actually interpret its meaning, allowing endless ways of interpretation.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too

By Shel Silverstein

The easy to remember rhyming of the poem induces a feeling of childish atmosphere but at a second or third reading makes us realizes that the simple common words actually carry a deeper meaning. It is a message meant to encourage people to free their imagination and be willing to try new things.

The rhyme, rhythm and repetition of the lines all contribute to the creation of a happy, full of excitement attitude (“Hooray!", "What fun!") which makes the reader enjoy the experience of the three characters as if they were right there next to them.

Towards the end of the poem, however, Ickle Me, Pickle Me and Tickle Me, who “flew over the sun and beyond the blue”, never returned from their adventure and no one knows what has happened to them. So, it seems that things ended unexpectedly for the adventurous heroes of the poem.

Reading this poem has made me realize how great it is to let your imagination free and allow yourself to always try out new experiences, no matter how they may end. I strongly recommend this poem to all the people who need to be reminded that life has to be filled with excitement, joy and constant adventures.