Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein was an American poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in some works. Translated into more than 30 languages, his books have sold over 20 million copies. He was the recipient of two Grammy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionChildren's Author
Date of Birth25 September 1930
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
Rockabye Baby, in the treetop Dont you know a treetop is no safe place to rock? And who put you up there, and your cradle too? Baby, I think someone down here has got it in for you!
At night my mind does not much care if what it thinks is here or there. It tells me stories, it invents and makes up things that don't make sense. I do not know why it does this stuff. The real world seems quite weird enough.
It's always a nice feeling, having people think that you feel things much deeper than you're allowed to say, but this isn't true. If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough.
God says to me with a kind of smile, "Hey how would you like to be God awhile And steer the world?" . . . . "How much do I get? What time is lunch?" . . . . "Gimme back that wheel," says God. "I don't think you're quite ready yet."
An oak tree and a rosebush grew, Young and green together, Talking the talk of growing things- Wind and water and weather. And while the rosebush sweetly bloomed The oak tree grew so high That now it spoke of newer things- Eagles, mountain peaks and sky. "I guess you think you're pretty great," The rose was heard to cry, Screaming as loud as it possibly could To the treetop in the sky. "And now you have no time for flower talk, Now that you've grown so tall." "It's not so much that I've grown," said the tree, "It's just that you've stayed so small.
The Yesees said yes to anything That anyone suggested. The Noees said no to everything Unless it was proven and tested. So the Yesees all died of much too much And the Noees all died of fright, But somehow I think the Thinkforyourselfees All came out all right.
If the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain't enough!
Have you been to The Land of Happy,Where everyone's happy all day,Where they joke and they singOf the happiest things,And everything's jolly and gay?There's no one unhappy in Happy, There's laughter and smiles galore.I have been to The Land of Happy - What a bore!
Ricky was "L" but he's home with the flu,Lizzie, our "O," had some homework to do,Mitchell, "E" prob'ly got lost on the way,So I'm all of the love that could make it today.
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.
And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.
When the light turns green, you go.When the light turns red, you stop.But what do you do when the light turns blue with orange and lavender spots?
There Is A Voice Inside Of YouThat Whispers All Day Long,"I Feel That This Is Right For Me,I Know That This Is Wrong."No Teacher, Preacher, Parent, FriendOr Wise Man Can DecideWhat's Right For You- Just Listen ToThe Voice That Speaks Inside.
There's a great myth about cartoonists, writers and people that are on TV.