Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Poem of the Day: "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein is the Songs of Eretz Poem of the Day for April 9, 2014.  A link to the poem may be found here:  http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein/poems/14836.

Shel Silverstein (1930 - 1999) (pictured) was a poet, singer, songwriter, cartoonist, and playwright.  He was nominated for an Oscar and won a Grammy.  He is best known for his charming children's books, among them The Missing Piece and The Giving Tree.  His poetry collection, Where the Sidewalk Ends (cover pictured), won a Michigan Young Readers Award.  Reference to this and additional biographical information may be found here:  http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/104.

There are notes of Lear, Carroll, and Sendak in this enchanting poem by Silverstein, perhaps aimed at young readers, but nevertheless able to be enjoyed by readers of any age.  There is something magical about the junction where one thing ends and another begins--think about twilight and dawn, the edge of a forest, and where the sea meets the shore.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.