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.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein 6

Hug O'War

By Shel Silverstein

This entire poem encourages people to no longer tug but to hug, to giggle and kiss and cuddle. It definitely persuades us to turn wars into contests of showing each other affection.

The tone of the poem is a happy, optimistic one and once we start reading the rhymes of the poem, we feel invaded by kindness, love and happiness. By behaving in such a tender way, we are all winners and share our warmth through simple gestures but loaded with affection.

No one should miss a meaningful poem like this and everyone ought to spread its message. It feels us with joy and pleasure and reminds us how loving and caring people can be.

o reme� R . I p<_ `(_ it is one of those poems that can become a motto in life to be followed.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein5

Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich

By Shel Silverstein

This 12-line poem presents itself as a recipe for a fantastic sandwich. But as you are given the instructions on how to make it, an unexpected ingredient is mentioned: “One hippopotamus”. But to the writer, not the hippopotamus was the problem, but how to eat this sandwich.

The minute we begin to read the poem, we let our imagination fly freely. There is no limit, no boundary and everything becomes possible in this fantasy world that the poet introduces us in. We are, in other words, invited to see things from a completely different perspective and enrich our creativity.

In the first part of the poem nothing seems to be unnatural, not even the key ingredient (the hippopotamus) but in the end the poet expresses concern about “biting” the sandwich.

Children and adults alike would surely enjoy this poem as it is an encouragement to being creative and imaginative. It is to me one of the poems that once you read you will always remember due to the easy, funny rhyming and the original idea of a hippo sandwich.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein4

Peanut-Butter Sandwich

By Shel Silverstein

This poem, like many of Shel Silverstein’s poems, tells a story. It speaks about a “silly young” king who was so crazy about peanut-butter sandwiches that nothing and no one could stop him from eating them. Everything in his kingdom revolved around peanut butter sandwiches: his scepter, his royal gowns, his throne and crowns were covered in peanut butter and all that his subjects could learn in schools was how to make peanut-butter sandwiches.

At a first reading, the very thought of such an obsession, especially when talking about a powerful person like a king, might seem hilarious and the tone of the poem is definitely a playful one. It is, to me, meant to show that even the strongest men have their weaknesses and remind us we are all humans.

The poet skilfully depicts the king’s addiction to the peanut butter sandwiches, offering plenty of details meant to intensify it with every single line. But, at one point, we are told that this love for peanut butter caused the king an accident and made his mouth get tightly stuck. After twenty long years of tears and attempts to open his mouth, all that the king had to say was he would like another peanut butter sandwich. So, in the end we “hear” the poet concluding that despite the others’ efforts we still do what we love most.

I find the poem really great as it creates the very atmosphere of a fairy tale, it is abundant in descriptive language and similar to stories it contains a moral lesson as well: the things we genuinely love in life might cause us problems but we continue to love them anyway. Therefore, I recommend it to those who sometimes forget that we all have our “peanut butter sandwiches” we cannot live without.

Poem Analysis Shel Silverstein3

Tryin' On Clothes

By Shel Silverstein

The poem talks about the many different attempts of the poet in finding what really suits him. Although the title implies the idea of trying on clothes, it can be extended to something wider: lifestyles or paths in life. The message is that it might take a while to find what we really need but in the end it is worth it.

The attitude of the poem is definitely a positive and optimistic one as it concludes that once you are willing to try on many different things you have all the chances to find “yours”. The poet keeps experiencing until he finally reaches his personal contentment: “Felt good”, “Felt neat”, “Finally, finally, felt well dressed”.

The poet begins by describing the many experiences he has tried but he was not happy with. In the end, however, he declares himself satisfied with the last one which proved to be the right one for him.

I see the entire poem as an encouragement to pursuing your dreams and never giving up on trying many different things till you finally manage to achieve the one you truly feel belongs to you. I sincerely recommend it to all people as it is a major lesson of life: always allow yourself time and energy to find your own “way” as it is best to do what makes you happy and complete.

Poem Analysis - Shel Silverstein2

Ticklish Tom

By Shel Silverstein

The poem tells the amusing story of a ticklish boy who cannot stop laughing wherever he goes: on the floor, out the door, on the way to school, out of school, out of town, down the road, across the plain. It simply talks about the happy, careless childhood time, when we have fun and always see the bright side of life.

Through every single word and line and rhyme, the poem boasts happiness, fun and joy. As I was reading it I just couldn’t stop myself giggling as I am myself a ticklish person and the language is so intense that it somehow hypnotizes you and makes you feel exactly the same as the boy in the poem.

Almost the entire poem describes the places and circumstances where the boy felt ticklish and keeps a funny atmosphere but, unfortunately, in the end the boy stops feeling this way.  The moment he “rolled on the railroad track” might symbolize the very first step towards adulthood, when we no longer feel amused and worriless.

I consider this poem to be extremely funny as it instantly creates a relaxed and “ticklish” atmosphere. The many visual and auditory elements intensify and help develop the story up to a climax where suddenly things become serious and are no longer what they used to be. I do believe that people should read this poem especially when they are sad or depressed as it will instantly work its effects, just like a pill, and help you laugh and cheer up!

Poem Analysis - Shel Silverstein1

Bear In There

By Shel Silverstein

The poem is skillfully creating a hilarious image of a hungry bear “attacking” a “Frigidaire”. The clever choice of words makes the reader actually believe that such a thing is possible. But probably, besides the funny image, the poet sends a deeper message by describing the inappropriate way of eating and drinking “munching the rice” or “slurping the soda”. So, kids, watch your table manners!

When reading the lines of the poem and the interesting rhyme we instantly feel happy, amused and playful. The poet successfully induces the feeling of joy and reminds us how great it is to be a child and see things in the most imaginative way. And if you pay closer attention to the arrangement of the lines and allow your imagination run freely, you can actually see the very shape of a bear with its arms wide open.

Although the poem is meant to bring the readers fun and happiness, the ending shows that, despite the amusing image there is also a certain sense of fear as the poet admits “it gives me a scare/ To know he’s in there”. So, the shift is obvious: imaginary situations amuse us but sometimes also scare us, especially the children.

I find the poem really entertaining and love the way the poet vividly describes the bear. So, I would recommend it to people of all ages as I believe it is important that we constantly remember how amazing it is to be a child or at least allow ourselves to see things through their eyes.

First Thoughts

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." - Arthur Ashe.