Shel Silverstein

Poet, Songwriter, Author

Shel Silverstein was a celebrated poet and author known for his whimsical yet profound children's literature, including 'The Giving Tree.'

Born
September 25, 1930
Died
May 10, 1999
Quotes
139
Rank
#559

Quote collection

Shel Silverstein quotes (page 2 of 7)

139 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"I believe that if you don't want to do anything, then sit there and don't do it, but don't expect people to hand you a corn beef sandwich and wash your socks for you and unzip your fly for you."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"It's all the same to the clam."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"There is a place where the sidewalk ends, And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"If you want to marry me, here's what you'll have to do: You must learn how to make a perfect chicken-dumpling stew. And you must sew my holey socks, And soothe my troubled mind, And develop the knack for scratching my back, And keep my shoes spotlessly shined. And while I rest you must rake up the leaves, And when it is hailing and snowing You must shovel the walk...and be still when I talk, And-hey-where are you going?"

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"There is a place where the sidewalk ends."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"The hens they all cackle, the roosters all beg, But I will not hatch, I will not hatch. For I hear all the talk of pollution and war As the people all shout and the airplane roar, So I'm staying in here where it's safe and it's warm, And I WILL NOT HATCH!"

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"The bridge will only take you halfway there, to those mysterious lands you long to see. Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fair, and moonlit woods where unicorns run free. So come and walk awhile with me and share the twisting trails and wondrous worlds I've known. But this bridge will only take you halfway there. The last few steps you have to take alone."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Don’t know where he’s going but sees where he’s been."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Once I spoke the language of the flowers, Once I understood each word the caterpillar said, Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings, And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed. Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets, And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow, Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . . How did it go? How did it go?"

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Did you hear 'bout Ticklish Tom? He got tickled by his mom. Wiggled and giggled and fell on the floor, . . . . And all the more that he kept gigglin', All the more folks kept ticklin'. He shrieked and screamed and rolled around, Laughed his way right out of town. Through the country down the road, He got tickled by a toad. . . . . Giggling, rolling on his back He rolled on the railroad track. Rumble, rumble, whistle, roar- Tom ain't ticklish any more."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"I was always prepared for success but that means that I have to be prepared for failure, too."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"If there is a book you want to read but isn`t written yet,write it."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"I know a way to stay friends forever, There's really nothing to it, I tell you what to do, And you do it."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Thanksgiving dinner's sad and thankless. Christmas dinner's dark and blue. When you stop and try to see it From the turkey's point of view. Sunday dinner isn't sunny. Easter feasts are just bad luck. When you see it from the viewpoint of a chicken or a duck. Oh how I once loved tuna salad Pork and lobsters, lamb chops too Till I stopped and looked at dinner From the dinner's point of view."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"If you are a dreamer come in If you are a dreamer a wisher a liar A hoper a pray-er a magic-bean-buyer If youre a pretender com sit by my fire For we have some flax golden tales to spin Come in! Come in!"

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Eighteen luscuios scrumpitous flavors, Chocolate,Lime and Cherry Coffee,Pumpkin, Fudge-Banana, Caramel Cream and boysenberry. Rocky Road and Toasted Almond, Butterscotch,Vanilla Dip, Butter Brinkle, Apple Ripple,Coconut,and Mocha Chip, Brandy Peach and Lemon Custard. Each scoop lovely.smooth and round. Tallest cream cone in town lying there on the ground."

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"If we meet and I say, "Hi," That's a salutation. If you ask me how I feel, That's a consideration. If we stop and talk awhile, That's a conversation. If we understand each other, That's communication. If we argue, scream and fight, That's an altercation. If later we apologize, That's a reconciliation. If we help each other home, That's cooperation. And all these ations added up Make civilization. (And if I say this is a wonderful poem, Is that exaggeration?)"

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Shel Silverstein Poet, Songwriter, Author
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"Talked my head off Worked my tail off Cried my eyes out Walked my feet off Sang my heat out So you see, There's really not much left of me."

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