Shel Silverstein passed away over ten years ago, but his children's books and poems have no-shelf life. Everything on It was recently published by Harper Collins. I haven't read it yet, but I am excited to purchase it as soon as I get my next paycheck. Last spring, I re-read A Light in the Attic and was disappointed. For some reason, it wasn't enjoyable for me, and I didn't find the poems to be that stellar. I was upset. I wondered if I wasn't open to children's poetry the way I was when I was a kid; however, I am now re-reading Where the Sidewalk Ends. I read it to my son at dinner, post-mushed veggies, while he's sucking back his bottle of milk. We are both having a marvelous time. Where the Sidewalk Ends is even better than I remembered it. It's funny and well-written, and even touches up some heavy things. I think the poem for which the book is named is one of the best, but I also love "Lester" (p. 6), which is not only funny and sad but also quite the social commentary. It is full of imagery but also narrative. Furthermore, it is well written, rhythmic, and a bit of a math lesson, too! "Apples and kisses and shoes" is genius, I think, for representing the simple, yet sublime, things in life.
Lester
Lester was given a magic wish
By the goblin who lives in the banyan tree,
And with his wish he wished for two more wishes--
So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three.
And with each one of these
He simply wished for three more wishes,
Which gave him three old wishes, plus nine new.
And with each of these twelve
He slyly wished for three more wishes,
Which added up to forty-six--or is it fifty-two?
Well anyway, he used each wish
To wish for wishes 'till he had
Five billion, seven million, eighteen thousand thirty-four.
And then he spread them on the ground
And clapped his hands and danced around
And skipped and sang, and then sat down
And wished for more.
And more...and more...they multiplied
While other people smiled and cried
And loved and reached and touched and felt.
Lester sat amidst his wealth
Stacked mountain-high like stacks of gold,
Sat and counted--and grew old.
And then one Thursday night they found him
Dead--with his wishes piled around him.
And they counted the lot and found that not
A single one was missing.
All shiny and new--here, take a few
And think of Lester as you do.
In a world of apples and kisses and shoes
He wasted his wishes on wishing.
Lester
Lester was given a magic wish
By the goblin who lives in the banyan tree,
And with his wish he wished for two more wishes--
So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three.
And with each one of these
He simply wished for three more wishes,
Which gave him three old wishes, plus nine new.
And with each of these twelve
He slyly wished for three more wishes,
Which added up to forty-six--or is it fifty-two?
Well anyway, he used each wish
To wish for wishes 'till he had
Five billion, seven million, eighteen thousand thirty-four.
And then he spread them on the ground
And clapped his hands and danced around
And skipped and sang, and then sat down
And wished for more.
And more...and more...they multiplied
While other people smiled and cried
And loved and reached and touched and felt.
Lester sat amidst his wealth
Stacked mountain-high like stacks of gold,
Sat and counted--and grew old.
And then one Thursday night they found him
Dead--with his wishes piled around him.
And they counted the lot and found that not
A single one was missing.
All shiny and new--here, take a few
And think of Lester as you do.
In a world of apples and kisses and shoes
He wasted his wishes on wishing.
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