Shel Silverstein

Poetry in some way, shape or form, gives realistic ideas to even objects that reflect upon a part of life by using symbolism and personification.

	Few writers of the twentieth century have made nearly the same impact on the literary society than Sheldon Allan Silverstein. His writing encompasses a broad range of styles, from adult to children’s, comical to unusual. One of his most common styles was that of fantasy: actions and events that cannot logically happen. This style was evident in his works, the Loser, Thumb Face, Warning, Squishy Touch, and Skin Stealer. Through the description of these absurd circumstances, Silverstein was able to entertain readers of all ages.

What is poetry? Is poetry about your feelings? Is poetry meant for you to deliberate or read between the lines? Elizabeth Alexander, a black educator that teaches poetry, believes that poetry is where you are your true self and finding yourself. In 2005, she published one of her poems called “Ars Poetica #100: I Believe.” She constructed the poem to speak to her students about her meaning of poetry. Poetry causes various emotions, various content, and based on various forms of realities.

Poetry is considered to be a representational text in which one explores ideas by using symbols. Poetry can be interpreted many different ways and is even harder to interpret when the original author has come and gone. Poetry is an incredible form of literature because the way it has the ability to use the reader as part of its own power. In other words, poetry uses the feelings and past experiences of the reader to interpret things differently from one to another, sometimes not even by choice of the author. Two famous poets come to mind to anybody who has ever been in an English class, Robert Frost and E.E. Cummings. Both of these poets have had numerous famous pieces due to the fact that they both

Poetry is an art that has been passed down from generation to generation; it acts as a way to express emotion or to show a message to readers. In 2017, it is not as popular as it was in the past as many believe it is a common art left behind in the new era of technology. Although many students may call it it to be boring or something they are not interested in, it does have some relevance in today's world. Poetry can show the reader true emotional perspective, just by reading a single stanza. Today, most people are afraid to show what they are feeling. If just a few words on paper allow an individual to be free, then yes, in 2017 poetry is still relevant. Secondly, formulating poetry requires specific mental skills; skills in showing complex thoughts, using poetic devices, and many more literary techniques. This knowledge is something every student can benefit and grow from as an individual. Some may call it old school, but the benefits of learning poetry will remain relevant for a very long time.

A time where people were forced to leave their homes and everything they had in possession. This is something that happens to Elie Wiesel author and main character of NIGHT. Elie and his family are from jewish descent and are dehumanized by the Germans and forced into labour camps to work. They never knew what dangers they had ahead of them always having ignorance only to face the consequences. To lose and to have everything only to be gone in a second never to be returned. Throughout his journey he finds himself powerless but only to find he stills has his dignity. He even finds his humanity for his father for the last person that was there to support him and care for him.

Poetry is definitely language used to capture a part of human experiences. This is evident in both late ferry and old house, which were written by the poet Robert gray. He informs his audience of the destruction of nature, and this is happens by mere humans. This is evident by the artificialness of the city in late ferry, and of an old house actually being an institute in old house. He does this successfully through various uses of poetic language

“I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with my books…,” Shel Silverstein. (Ward 13) Throughout Shel Silverstein’s books he writes things that seem like a simple poem, but when the poems are deciphered they reveal a much deeper meaning. A situation may seem like a silly story about magic, but in reality it is a situation that encourages people to reach their full potential and take all they can from life. This also alludes to the fact that individuals can change the world by simply being themselves and portraying a positive image about themselves to the world. Furthermore, Shel Silverstein’s books encourage people to be themselves and to not let others influence how they think of themselves. Through Silverstein’s various works he has encouraged all age groups to embrace their individuality and he has taught people various life lessons through a more understandable medium.

Which is funny in its self because we all know the running joke being nobody reads playboy for the articles. At this time Shel became a musician, composing some hit country songs, he officially started his career of being a poet. Poetry is a piece of writing that is used to express one’s inner feeling and emotions, but it can also be written for fun as a pastime. His books were loved by people of all ages, and one of his hit books showed the true meaning of friendship of his books were about how bonds between things can last a life time, and they were very funny making people enjoy his work. These types of books became international famous all around the world by many children and parents.

Shel Silverstein was born during the Great Depression in 1930 in Chicago, Illinois. He started drawing at young age, because “according to him, he was not popular with the girls and was not good at sports.” (Encyclopedia of WB, 341) He had a unique style of illustration and writing that mimicked no other author of his time. During the 1950’s he served in the Army in Korea and Japan. While enlisted he drew cartoons for the Pacific Stars and Stripes magazine. (ECWB, 341) Ironically, Silverstein never planned on writing children’s books. When his enlistment in the Armed Forces ended he began drawing cartoons and small articles for Playboy magazine. (ECWB, 341) It was not until he met Ursula Nordstrom that he thought about writing children’s books. (ADD CITATION) Shel Silverstein wrote plays, songs, and many award-winning children’s book. Sadly, he passed away in 1999 at the age of 67, but his legacy lives on through his still popular

Shel Silverstein was a loved and famed poet, singer/songwriter, and children’s book writer, cartoonist, and screenwriter. This essay will talk about why he is a famed poet and how he got where he is today, his childhood, and some of his life accomplishments.

Born 9/25/1930 Silverstein growing up started cartooning in his awkward teen years on the streets of Chicago because he “wasn’t a ladies man nor good at sports”. His style was influenced slightly by Walt Disney who was famous at the time for his Mickey Mouse comics and cartoons (but for some reason being cryogenically frozen wasn’t one of them) .

Poetry has a role in society, not only to serve as part of the aesthetics or of the arts. It also gives us a view of what the society is in the context of when it was written and what the author is trying to express through words. The words as a tool in poetry may seem ordinary when used in ordinary circumstance. Yet, these words can hold more emotion and thought, however brief it was presented.

Has poetry of the 21st century changed drastically? Well first off poetry in this age has become more musical than flowing piece of written art we read about today. If you take the time to break down the lyrics of a song and compare it to the poems in the 1500s we would see its more of the presentation that changed.

Poetry is a varied art form. Poetry is expression with words, using aesthetics and definition. Word choice in poetry is the single most important thing. Devices such as assonance, alliteration and rhythm work in a poem to convey a certain image or to facilitate understanding. Similes and metaphors can take two unlike objects, such as a potato and cinderblock, and if done the correct way use them to describe how Abraham Lincoln dealt with scoundrels. Poetry is beautiful. One of the best genres in poetry, let alone a great literary movement is Romanticism or the post-enlightenment Romantics.