Shel Silverstein Love Quotes and Sayings

Shel Silverstein Love Quotes and Sayings

#1 Hug O’War, Where the Sidewalk Ends

1. I will not play at tug o’ war. I’d rather play at hug o’ war, Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles And rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins, And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins.

#2 How Many, How Much, A Light in the Attic

2. How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ’em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ’em.

#3 Love, A Light in the Attic

3. Ricky was “L” but he’s home with the flu, Lizzie, our “O,” had some homework to do, Mitchell, “E” prob’ly got lost on the way, So I’m all of love that could make it today.

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Excerpt from Wikipedia: Sheldon Allan “Shel” Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 8/9, 1999), was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children’s books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children’s books. Translated into more than 30 languages, his books have sold over 20 million copies.
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Sayings by Shel Silverstein

#1 Tell Me, Falling Up

1. Tell me I’m clever, Tell me I’m kind, Tell me I’m talented, Tell me I’m cute, Tell me I’m sensitive, Graceful and wise, Tell me I’m perfect– But tell me the truth.

#2 The Voice, Falling Up

2. There is a voice inside of you that whispers all day long, “I feel that this is right for me, I know that this is wrong.” No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide what’s right for you — just listen to the voice that speaks inside.

#3 From Falling Up

3. All The Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas Layin’ In The Sun, Talkin’ ‘Bout The Things They Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda Done … But All Those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas All Ran Away And Hid From One Little Did.

#4 This Bridge, A Light in the Attic

4. This bridge will only take you halfway there to those mysterious lands you long to see: Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fairs 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 only take you halfway the—The last few steps you’ll have to take alone.

#5 Listen to the MUSTN’TS, Where the Sidewalk Ends

5. Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, Listen to the DON’TS Listen to the SHOULDN’TS The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS Listen to the NEVER HAVES Then listen close to me-Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.

#6 THE LITTLE BOY AND THE OLD MAN, A Light in the Attic

6. Said the little boy, “Sometimes I drop my spoon.”
Said the little old man, “I do that too.”
The little boy whispered, “I wet my pants.”
“I do that too,” laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, “I often cry.”
The old man nodded, “So do I.”
“But worst of all,” said the boy, “it seems
Grown-ups don’t pay attention to me.”
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
“I know what you mean,” said the little old man.

#7 Early Bird, Where the Sidewalk Ends

7. Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird and catch the worm for your breakfast plate. If you’re a bird, be an early early bird – But if you’re a worm, sleep late.

#8 No Difference, Where the Sidewalk Ends

8. Small as a peanut,
Big as a giant,
We’re all the same size
When we turn off the light.

Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite,
We’re all worth the same
When we turn off the light.

Red, black or orange,
Yellow or white,
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.

So maybe the way,
To make everything right
Is for god to just reach out
And turn off the light!

#9 Aardvark magazine, 1963

9. 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.

#10 Point of View, Where the Sidewalk Ends

10. 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.

#11 Aardvark Interview: Does a satirist have an obligation to society?

11. He has the obligation to society that any human being has. I don’t think a satirist has any greater obligation to society than a bricklayer or anybody else.

#12 Aardvark Interview: Do you think we’re entering into an age of satire? Is there more freedom today for the satirist to express himself?

12. If you’re behind the times, they won’t notice you. If you’re right in tune with them, you’re no better than they are, so they won’t care much for you. Be just a little ahead of them.

#13 Aardvark Interview: When you were on one of the TV discussion shows in Chicago, you were one of the only two people to speak out against the bookburners. It seemed that you didn’t have a chance to say everything that you wanted to.

13. So, when I talk, what it amounts to is that I’m explaining my work, and I don’t believe a man should explain what he does. I believe he should do it and not explain it. Never explain what you do. It speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it.

#14-15 A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein, Lisa Rogak

14. To me, freedom entitles you to do something, not to not do something.

15. You’d better get your laugh while you’re making your point, or you won’t be doing it very long.

#16 Snowball, Falling Up

16. I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first it wet the bed.

#17 The Search, Where the Sidewalk Ends

17. I went to find the pot of gold that’s waiting where the rainbow ends. I searched and searched and searched and searched, and then–There it was, deep in the grass, Under an old and twisty bough. It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine at last…. What do I search for now?

#18 Publishers Weekly, 24 February 1975

18. I think if you’re a creative person, you should just go about your business, do your work, and not care about how it’s received. I never read reviews, because if you believe the good ones, you have to believe the bad ones, too.

#19 The Land of Happy, Where the Sidewalk Ends

19. Have you been to The Land of Happy, Where everyone’s happy all day, Where they joke and they sing Of the happiest things, And everything’s jolly and gay? There’s no one unhappy in Happy, There’s laughter and smiles galore. I have been to The Land of Happy-What a bore!

#20 The Missing Piece

20. I can be someone’s and still be my own.

Read ‘A Giving Tree‘ by Shel Silverstein.