Emergency IT Lesson 2: Favourite Poet

A Brief introduction of Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois and began writing and drawing at a young age. He became a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.

Silverstein is best known as the author of iconic books of prose and poetry for young readers. His works include such modern classics as Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back (1963), The Giving Tree (1964), A Giraffe and a Half (1964), The Missing Piece (1976), and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O (1981). His immensely popular poetry collections are Where the Sidewalk Ends, a 1974 Michigan Young Readers Award winner; A Light in the Attic, recipient of the School Library Journal Best Books Award in 1982; Falling Up (1996); and Don’t Bump the Glump! And Other Fantasies, which was originally published in 1963 and reissued in 2008. Runny Babbit, a posthumous poetry collection of spoonerisms, was conceived and completed before his death.

Silverstein’s books, which he also illustrated, are characterized by a deft mixing of the sly and the serious, the macabre, and the just plain silly. His unique imagination and bold brand of humor is beloved by countless adults and children throughout the world. He died in May 1999.


Critics generally agree that the greatest strength of Silverstein's poetry for children lies in his effective use of humor.

I definitely agree in that although my favourite poem "A Boy Named Sue" does not include any humour. It is quite a touching poem with a twist at the last part.

The reason why I chose Silverstein was because his work is very engaging. When I read his poems, I feel like I am in another world watching every scene in the poem.

I feel that Silverstein is a very talented writer. His poems generally promote peace over violence and diversity over prejudice. Many people have applauded his actions. He is probably my most favourite poet.


Three Fantastic Poems by Silverstein


Where the Sidewalk Ends (Poem is in my previous blog post)

Falling Up

I tripped on my shoelace
And I feel upto the roof tops,
Up over the town,
Up past the tree tops,
Up over the mountains,
Up where the colors
Blend into the sounds.
But I got me so dizzy
When I looked around,
I got sick to my stomach
And I threw down.


A Boy Named Sue

Well, my daddy left home when I was three,
and he didn't leave much to Ma and me,
just this old guitar and a bottle of booze.
Now I don't blame him because he run and hid,
but the meanest thing that he ever did was
before he left he went and named me Sue.

Well, he must have thought it was quite a joke,
and it got lots of laughs from a lot of folks,
it seems I had to fight my whole life through.
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
and some guy would laugh and I'd bust his head,
I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue.

Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
My fist got hard and my wits got keen.
Roamed from town to town to hide my shame,
but I made me a vow to the moon and the stars,
I'd search the honky tonks and bars and kill
that man that gave me that awful name.

But it was Gatlinburg in mid July and I had
just hit town and my throat was dry.
I'd thought i'd stop and have myself a brew.
At an old saloon in a street of mudand at a table dealing stud sat the dirty,
mangy dog that named me Sue.

Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
from a worn-out picture that my mother had
and I knew the scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
He was big and bent and gray and old
and I looked at him and my blood ran cold,
and I said, "My name is Sue. How do you do?
Now you're gonna die." Yeah, that's what I told him.

Well, I hit him right between the eyes and he went down
but to my surprise he came up with a knife
and cut off a piece of my ear. But I busted a chair
right across his teeth. And we crashed through
the wall and into the street kicking and a-gouging
in the mud and the blood and the beer.

I tell you I've fought tougher men but I really can't remember when.
He kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile.
I heard him laughin' and then I heard him cussin',
he went for his gun and I pulled mine first.
He stood there looking at me and I saw him smile.

And he said, "Son, this world is rough and if
a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
and I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along.
So I gave you that name and I said 'Goodbye'.
I knew you'd have to get tough or die. And it's
that name that helped to make you strong."


Yeah, he said, "Now you have just fought one
helluva fight, and I know you hate me and you've
got the right to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you
if you do. But you ought to thank me
before I die for the gravel in your guts and the spit
in your eye because I'm the nut that named you Sue."
Yeah, what could I do? What could I do?

I got all choked up and I threw down my gun,
called him pa and he called me a son,
and I came away with a different point of view
and I think about him now and then.
Every time I tried, every time I win and if I
ever have a son I think I am gonna name him
Bill or George - anything but Sue.





References: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/104
http://www.enotes.com/poetry-criticism/silverstein-shel

Emergency IT Lesson 1: Figurative Language

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein


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.

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.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.


Hyperbole – The sentence “To the place where the side walk ends.” is repeated many times in this poem. The poet might have wanted to express his great desire to go to the place where the sidewalk ended by repeating the sentence many times.
Personfication – In this poem, the “chalk-white arrows” are assuming human actions by leading the poet “To the place where the side walk ends.” The poet might have chosen to include this in his poem to make it more interesting.
Metaphor – “a walk that is measured slow” is a metaphor for life. The poet might not have wanted to simply write the word “life” but let his readers guess the meaning of “a walk that is measured slow”.
Simile – There is no simile in this poem.
Symbolism – The first paragraph represents good times while the second paragraph represents bad times. The writer used different things to show the difference between good times and bad times.

This poem is very expressive. The sentence “To the place where the side walk ends.” is firmly stuck in my mind after I have read this poem. I like the face that the poet used the grass, sun and birds to represent good times while black smoke and dark streets were used to represent bad times. This is a very unique way of showing the contrast. Silverstein has written an excellent poem.

Book Review - Ravens's Gate ( Self-Initiated )

A boy named Matthew was arrested because he had stolen something. He was sent to be fostered in Yorkshire. He soon senses that there is something about his guardian and the whole village that makes him feel uneasy. With the help of a journalist named Richard, Matt finds out more about himself. Matt learns that he is special as he is one of the five gatekeepers. The five gatekeepers were supposed to guard the gate when it opened do that no evil may be done. Matt has some special powers that makes him so valued. His blood is priceless. He finds out that his guardian is a witch and on the dark side. She agreed to foster Matthew so that she could kill him and use his blood to do evil. Matt manages to escape with the help of his super powers. He even manages to kill the witch.

An interesting read. Once you pick it up, you can never put it down.

Book Review - Bog's Child ( School Assignment )

This story is about a boy named Fergus. He found a dead girl in a bog when he was digging for peat in the mountain with his Uncle Tally. After the corpse was sent for a test, he found out that the body was close to 2000 years old.

The child was actually murdered by one of the most cruel forms of punishment - hanging. The dead child actually spoke to Fergus in his dreams, telling him how she was murdered and the reason why.

The child, named Mel, was acused of murdering a person. She was made the scapegoat and as such, was sent to the gallows.

The boy, Fergus, actually has a brother who is on a hunger strike in prison. He is put under a lot of pressure as he has a driving test, a major exam, the constant worry of his brother ( who eventually slips into a coma ) and the secret of the bog child which remained unknown to him until the very last chapter. He also has to cope with the death of his friend.

An interesting read. I would recomend this book to those who are of a mature age as the language might be a little to strong for some young readers.

Nike Mercurial Superfly

Tom held his breath and opened his birthday present. He wanted to get those Nike Mercurial Superfly football boots.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Theo Walcott and Alexandre Pato all wore Superfly.

Tom tearing off the wrapping paper, revealed a shoe box. His heart beat accerlated. He lifted the lid. It was a Nike Mercurial Superfly.

Beaten

A young cheetah, Speed, walked with its head hung low, towards its enclosure in the zoo.

Exhausted after its race, it lay on the floor.

“What's wrong?" asked Dash.

"With this blistering hot weather in Jamica and my disappointing loss, I'm feeling lousy," Speed replied.

"Whom did you lose to?"

"Usain Bolt, who else?”

55 Words

Parents' Review on my Electronic Bookshelf

Well one thing quite obvious is that you have read the whole Harry Potter series. It is not bad to read Harry Potter, but it would be better if you could read more varieties of books.

Other than the books you read during you Language Arts class in school, you have heeded my advice and have gone to you school's library to read books. I am pleasantly surprised to know that you have been reading the "TIME" magazine in your school. It is a very good magazine. It keeps you up to date with the current affairs around the world. Another magazine which I think you have forgotten to add to your electronic bookshelf is "Readers' Digest". I know that you have been reading it.

Now that you are young, you may want to indulge yourself in lots of fiction and fantasy because as you grow older, you will find that you will have less time to read books.

It seems to me that you electronic bookshelf have quite a small number of books as compared to your Language Arts teacher. It is really a world of a difference. I want you to aspire to be like your teacher and read widely and deeply. Happy reading my son!



Check out my electronic bookshelf at: http://weread.com/profile/Sean/845E661B-BB16-40D0-9A85-ACE693290BD0?con_sandbox=booksiread&container_type=booksiread