Death : Key West, Florida Essay

“But I’m free to live … go wherever I please, do whatever I want; I believe everyone should live like that. Don’t be dependent on anyone else—man, woman, child or dog. I want to go everywhere, look at and listen to everything. You can go crazy with some of the wonderful stuff there is in life” (Burns, Marion 1-2). Shel Silverstein, the author of “The Giving Tree”, is not only a children’s author of literature but a musician, photographer, and a Korean War veteran (Burns, Marion 1-2). Silverstein is the typical man that is well-fit who wears the typical blue jeans and cowboy hat (Burns, Marion 1). He blends in by roaming around the world and being free (Burns, Marion 1). “The Giving Tree” is a piece of work that uses a simplistic style that is not just meant for young kids but is meant for all ages; is able to relate to peoples lives and opens peoples eyes on life.

“Where the Sidewalk ends” was written in 1974 by the American poet Shel Silverstein. He was born in 1930 and later died in 1999 (“Shel Silverstein”). Under his lifetime, he worked with numerous creative jobs such as songwriter, performer and as a playwright. However, what he became most famous for was as a poet and a cartoonist (“Shel Silverstein”). “Many of his poems are adapted from his song lyrics, and the influence of his song-writing background is apparent in the poems' meters and rhythms” (“Shel Silverstein Facts”). “Where the sidewalk ends” is not only a title of a poem, the same title is also used for one of Silverstein’s books, which included many of his poems and illustrations aimed at children. “Silverstein’s books, which he also

Now what were the real things that help him start his journey? What were the things that made Shel Silverstein into the author that he was by the end of his life and how many things impacted Shel Silverstein’s writing life? When he was young he dreamed to be a good baseball player, so that he can be popular with the girls. But when he tried to play baseball he was very bad, and no girls wanted to be with him because nothing is worse than someone who is bad at something and tries too hard to try to look good at it. Because of that, Shel started his career in writing, and illustrating pictures. By the time the girls were interested in him due to the fact he was better with his words other than his physical

Shel Silverstein is a very popular children’s poetry book author, a songwriter, and a playwright. He was a very private man who did not entertain interviews and left most of his life in the shadows away from media attention. Shel Silverstein instilled the love of reading into the hearts of young American children through his short and silly poems filled with dark humor and outrageous, invented cartoon characters.

“If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough.” Shel Silverstein ("BrainyQuote") A famous children’s book author/poet Shel Silverstein. Silverstein The son of Nathan and Helen Silverstein, Silverstein a young boy growing up in Chicago, Illinois ("Bio.com"). His writing career started by writing for Stars and Stripes Magazine which Silverstein had written because he enlisted into the U.S army ("Bio.com"). But Silverstein didn't stop there, he wrote cartoons and stories for Sports Illustrated, Look, and Playboy. Silverstein continued to write and later became a very serious child book author.

“A book is a gift you can open again and again” – Garrison Keillor. Shel Silverstein was an author who made this quote a reality. Silverstein was an author, illustrator, and poet. Pictured to the write (poets.org). He had many works published ranging from funny, sad, serious, silly, imaginative, and scary. His works encouraged children to dream and use their imaginations. Children have changed throughout the years but their love of classic books including Silverstein’s remains the same. Shel Silverstein was a well-rounded man devoted to his work; his books, illustrations, and words continue to be famous still today.

Silverstein had a hard life but worked through his hardships. He even expressed his emotions through his books! His daughter died at age 11, and he dedicated a book to her. He never settled down. Silverstein had two children: Shoshanna Jordan Hastings, who died at age 11; and a son, Matthew Silverstein, who is 32. Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack on May 10, 1999. He was only 68 years old. Although he had a short, hard life, he became famous in more than one way.

Shel Silverstein, the author of, “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, was a musician and poet known for writing children books such as, “The Giving Tree” (Shel Silverstein). He was born on September 25, 1930 and died on May 8, 1999 (Shel Silverstein). Throughout his life Mr.Silverstein, worked in many diverse occupations ranging from the military to becoming an author (Shel Silverstein). Because majority of his books and poems were for children, they (the books and poems) often incorporated positive imagery, metaphors, etc. In the poem, “Where The Sidewalk Ends”, Shel Silverstein uses imagery, shift, and personal pronouns to identify that adults must forget about the materialistic things in their lives to achieve a greater sense of happiness and joy.

Death is an inevitable and unfortunate part of life that is often met with fear and despair. Some are afraid of the anticipated pain and the uncertainty of the afterlife, while others can accept their fate and see death as part of a cycle in nature. Most of us would prefer to die in the comfort of our homes with loved ones and under their own terms, however approximately 50% of Americans die in hospitals. And although our lifespans continue to climb due to medication and technology, it is those advancements that keep people from leaving this world as they see fit. No matter how a person dies, there is a sense of loss and grief for those who were surrounded or influenced by this person. It is often very hard to cope

Linda Sue Parker was born March 25,1960 in Urbana, Illinois. Linda Sue has been writing stories and poems since she was four years old. Her first poem ever published was a haiku in a children’s book. She was given one dollar and that check is framed and hanging above her father’s desk today. She took a break from children’s book and became a food journalist but later realized that children’s books are where her comfort zone is. She now lives in New York, with her husband, writing books for younger children. Her newest book of poetry is called “Tap Dancing on the Roof” and her newest children’s book is called “A Long Walk To Water”.

Shel Silverstein was born in Chicago, Illinois and began writing at a very young age. He is the author of children’s literature like “Everything On It” and “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. In 1963, he met an editor named Ursula Nordstrom who inspired him about writing a book that is suited for children. In the book “Everything On It”, Silverstein added humor and laughs for the children who read the book, but still be able to add a life lesson. However, in the book “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, he wanted to inform adults to look back on their own childhood and look for the moments that gave them joy. When writing those books, Silverstein used different styles when writing his poems. For example, he uses rhyming, punctuation, rhythm, and tone to engage children and make them enjoy his poems, but still be able to portray his message or lesson from each poem to kids.

Teeth clenched, I watched in horror as pages of Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” twirled through the air towards my mother soaking in the tub. “Splash!” As black ink began to stain the pages, tears streamed down my face. My beloved new library book fell victim to water damage. Every Tuesday, my first grade class would take a trip to the library, and at the end of our library lesson, we were each allowed to check out a book. On Tuesdays, I would race off of the school bus to proudly display to my mom which book I had selected for the week. That particular week I chose “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. I could not wait for my mother to get out of the tub to show her, and my excited hands threw the book at her instead. I learned some important lessons that week. Do not

The 1920s was an interesting time in American history, also known as the roaring twenties. The decade was filled with economic prosperity, and social, economic, and cultural progress. The period saw a widespread use of cars, telephones, motion pictures, and media focusing on celebrities and sports stars, women won the right to vote however it all came to a crashing halt in 1929 with the Wall Street Crash. During all this incredible change and innovation Robert Lee Frost, an American poet, wrote and published his work “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” in 1922 and 1923 respectively. Frost was born in 1874 in San Francisco then shortly after moved to Pennsylvania. After the death of his father, he moved to Massachusetts and became interested in reading and writing poetry during his years in high school in Massachusetts. After enrolling at many colleges and drifting from various occupations his first poem appeared on a New York newspaper and he became a dedicate poet after that.

Shel Silverstein was an American poet during the nineteen fifty’s. Not only was Silverstein a poet, he was also a songwriter, cartoonist and author of many famous children’s books. His books have sold over twenty million copies. Silverstein was drafted by the army and served in Japan and Korea, where he started drawing for the army. When he got out he started writing children’s poems. Silverstein had one daughter Shoshanna Jordan Hastings with his wife Susan Taylor Hastings. His wife passed away right before their daughters fifth birthday and his daughter later died at ages eleven from a cerebral aneurysm. He later than meets another woman, Sarah Spencer where they had a son Matthew. Silverstein passed away at age sixty-eight of a massive heart attack in his Florida home in Key West. Two of his famous poems that we chose for our presentations were “ Smart “ and “ The Voice”.

Walking down the street, honking cars ringing in the ears of the busy population of the city. At any point in their walk to their destination a drastic change could occur. Life is and always will be filled with unexpected surprises. Robert Frost, Billy Collins, and Maya Angelou are able to portray these surprises in an abundance of aspects throughout their poetry. Frost, through his demonstration of universal themes, Billy Collins, renowned for his unique approach to otherwise ordinary subjects, and Maya Angelou, eminent for her words inciting political uprisings. “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost, “Weighing the Dog” by Billy Collins, and “Harlem Hopscotch” by Maya Angelou each contain riveting examples of allegory that allude to each poem’s central theme of the way every individual’s life has different outcomes.