Happy Birthday, Shel Silverstein

[filkertom]

On this date in 1930.

What of Shel's works do you like best? For me, it's music. I didn't encounter his books until I was an adult, but "A Boy Named Sue" was very influential for me, as was "The Unicorn" (and if you'd told me they were written by the same guy, I don't know if I would've have believed you). "25 Minutes To Go" is also tremendous.

... Okay, okay. Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book and The Giving Tree rock.

Comments

[ericcoleman]

I need Freakers Ball on CD ... I really do.

Having kids, I have most of his kids books, and they are ALL tremendous. I'd have to go with 25 Minutes To Go as well ... I think I'm listening to some JC on the way to work this morning.

We love Uncle Shelby, yes we do

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

Gods above and below, I miss him. For me, it's all about his music, too: "Stacey Brown Got Two," "Boa Constrictor" and "A Boy Named Sue" (both covered by Johnny Cash, no less!), "They Won't Let You Show It At the Beach," "The Smoke-Off" and of course, "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout (Would Not Take the Garbage Out)"...just to name a few. (His poetry ain't half bad, either; "Someone Ate the Baby" is fiendishly catchy as well as transgressive.)

[joshbrown.livejournal.com]

My favorite poem from Where the Sidewalk Ends is :
Enter This Deserted House
But please walk softly as you do
Frogs dwell here and crickets too.
Ain't no ceiling, only blue
Jays dwell here, and sunbeams too.
Floors are flowers - take a few.
Ferns grow here and daisies too.
Whoosh, swoosh - too-whit, too-woo,
Bats dwell here and hoot owls too.
Ha-ha-ha, hee-hee, hoo-hoo-hoooo
Gnomes dwell here and goblins too.
And my child, I thought you knew
I dwell here ...
And so do you.

I think it's a perfect description of the internet.

[rmeidaking.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a description of a meadow, from the viewpoint of a city-dweller. That stuff is in my backyard - but not in theirs.

I didn't really understand a lot of Shel Silverstein until I moved to the city. ("Where the sidewalk ends ... what sidewalk? What's a sidewalk?") I have to consciously shift my viewpoint when reading his stuff.

[blackpaladin.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine found a particularly interesting photo-op, which prompted me to make the following Demotivator. I figured you'd enjoy, especially given this post.



And it's been too damn long since I've read any of his stuff...

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Saved. Excellent.

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

ROFL! Gacking for icon.

[blackpaladin.livejournal.com]

Credit for the picture goes to feytaline.

[alicetheowl.livejournal.com]

I owned a copy of A Light in the Attic, and I read it every time I stayed home sick. I was sick a lot as a kid, so, if prompted with a first line, I wouldn't be surprised if I spat out the rest of the poem. As it is, I once recited "Lazy Jane" at my husband when he complained he was thirsty, once. He looked at me like I'd lost my mind, and I was rather saddened to learn he'd never read any Silverstein.

That reminds me; I should take some out from the library for him.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

I love most of Shel Silverstein. Where the Sidewalk Ends is great. I love him forever for the poem about the death of Paul Bunyan.

But I do not, cannot, figure out why The Giving Tree is labelled as a children's book. It isn't. It is, taken at it's best, a sophisticated cautionary tale about the disaster of giving without withholding. It should NEVER be used as a fable about how to lead a generous life, which is what parents have a tendancy to hold it up as. The tree has nothing in the end, not even pride, and is not and never has been loved. Even It's a Wonderful Life does a better job as a pean to generosity.

I have, unfortunately, heard that the poet wrote it to make fun of women. I really hope that's not true.

[alymid.livejournal.com]

I heard from someone who knew him that, whether it was intentional or not, it was a perfect parallel to how he treated his girlfriends.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

Yuck.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

I always figured it was a parable about parent and child.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

Which does not seem to make it any better for me. The story is the same: the tree gives, and gives, and gives, until it is dead, and receives nothing, not even love, and certainly not acknowledgement or consideration. WHY do people give this to their kids? What part of this is inspiring?

[ludzu-alus.livejournal.com]

It took me many years to come to this very conclusion, but arrived at it I have.

I mean, I was one of those kids whose mom (and other adults, like the school librarian) read it to them with the intention of showing how people should be, well, giving. It was read to us in the hopes that we'd become more like the tree; unfortunately, what I see in this society is that a significant number of people have decided to epitomize the boy and his actions.

It wasn't until I re-read it as free-thinking adult that I saw the other, darker, side to it. It may just be me (and I don't care): I don't think you can just live your life exclusively for others. You've got to live for yourself, too. There's got to be balance. That boy is one of the most selfish, inconsiderate, narcissistic, and materialistic characters I've ever met.

That said, I adore almost all of his other works. Especially his more adult stuff - The Smoke Off (which I once read to an audience of appreciative folk) is the first that always comes to mind.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

We are in agreement. If anything, this is an unbelievably succinct illustration of a co-dependent and they object of their fixation.

I am a wife and mother. I love my husband and son more than life itself. I would kill or die for them if it became necessary. HOWEVER, I they do not get all I have. I hold tight to my career and my time alone. Why? Because it would kill me mentally or physically to do otherwise and then I would not be there to give them what they REALLY needs, which is my love and support. You cannot truly strengthen others by weakening yourself.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Seems to me the darker side is pretty obvious, even to very young readers.

Maybe the people around us who behave like the boy are the ones who have never read the book and have not thought about what it's like to be the tree, about how lucky those are who have givers in their lives, and about how it might be nice to give something in return.

At least, it's hard for me to see how anyone could be exposed to that story and conclude that it's good to be like the boy all the way through life.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Seems to me, the inspirational message is for children to be aware and grateful for all the sacrifices their parents are lovingly, eagerly, making for them. That's what I got out of it, anyhow.

As a tale about a beloved child growing up, it seems to me TGT is a pretty accurate comment on how things are. We love our children unconditionally, feed them our "apples", bequeath them our "roots and branches", give everything we've got of ourselves because they are part of us. And our reward is pretty much, they grow up to find a partner to replace us in their lives, and they move away and don't call and if they need something we come running. And often, it seems like they're not even aware. Old, old story, and it's both bitter and sweet at the same time. Because the child is always ungrateful and we always continue to love them. We're wired that way. And those early pages with the tree playing with the child and both of them being so joyful together sure are idyllic, while it lasts.

Maybe part of the fascination with TGT is that there's more than one facet. As a story about a child growing up, it's both bitter and sweet and a good story. As a tale about two beings who are presumed to be equals--that would be one of the more unhealthy relationships imaginable.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid we must disagree then.

The tree's love for the boy destroys the tree. A parent's love for a child, does not, or should not, destroy the parent. That a child grows and leaves is a natural part of life, a cause for pride and celebration, not the cause of the parent's destruction.

Neither do I wish to give my child a book that says if you are ungrateful that ingratitude will destroy me. That is too much like the old style moral fables for my taste.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid we must disagree then.

Yes, I guess so. Seems to me, "destroy" is a bit too harsh a word for what happens to the tree. You can completely justify using that word, of course, but I don't think that was what the author had in mind.

Even when all you can see is a stump, it's still described as a "tree", still there, and still, most of the time, happy. Even without most of its parts, its essential self continues to exist.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

Different interpretations. And that's what makes for horse races, and literary discussions.

Gotta go make dinner. No apple pie tonight.

[ororo.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I'm so glad you wrote this. I was given a copy of the Giving Tree by someone who thought he was being loving and romantic and all I got out of that was sad and depressed. I thought I was the only one who didn't rave about the story's beauty.

That said, there's a special place in my heart for Boa Constrictor and I also love It's Dark In Here.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

Nope, not just you.

My son likes to have the Boa Constrictor poem recited for him while the covers are slowly being pulled up over the appropriate body parts...

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

Okay. Here we go. The Giving Tree, The Healthy Parenting Version by Sarah Zettel

"Hello, Boy. Come sit in my shade and eat my apples. Come swing from my branches and...what? Money, huh? Yeah, it's tough when you're just starting out. Tell you what. See those apples lying on the ground? If you take them over there out of my shade and plant them, they'll turn into apple trees and you'll have a whole orchard. You can sell apples, make cider, all kinds of things. I'll be happy to share with you everything I know about apple trees."

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

The eyeball
In the Gumball Machine
Sitting there between the blue and the green
Looks at me as if to say
You really don't want any more gum today.

[alymid.livejournal.com]

OKay I have to admit I am a rabid Giving Tree hater - but as far as I can tell it is a book that brings out strong feelings both positive and negative.

I love the Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and have a squishy soft spot for A Giraffe and a Half.

[greenmansgrove.livejournal.com]

From a child's point of view, The Giving Tree is a beautiful and reassuring book about knowing that there is someone who will always give you what you need. At least, that's how it's generally used.

From an adult's point of view, it's a creepy book about co-dependency.

I had also heard that Silverstein had issues with women. I don't know, I never met the man, and most of what I heard about him was after his death, so I can't confirm. His Wikipedia entry doesn't mention anything about it, but that's not necessarily a good source one way or the other.

[artpaulrocks.livejournal.com]

I just love hearing him on Dr Demento

& then hearing his Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout will not take the garbage out and his A Boy Name Sue Part 2.

That is one of the few Dr Demento shows that I remember and still loved hearing.


Hey while I was searching the web for the correct way to spell the titles of some of the songs I found this website which has a really interesting song A Front Row to Hear Ole Johny Sing which seems to be a Country Song in Tribute to Johny Cash.

It streams the songs for free.
http://music.download.com/shelsilverstein/3600-8971_32-100792303.html

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Looks like somebody else remembered.

The other strips are worth checking out, too. The Perry Bible Fellowship has some truly twisted stuff. (For some reason, "Preserves" cracks me up.)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Snarl. "A Boy Named Sue" is a rotten song if you were a girl named Susan or any variant thereof because it was thrown at you by mean kids in school.

Well, until I started developing anyway.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Have to go with the ABZ book...and an obscure one called A Front Row Seat to Hear Ol' Johnny Sing. I guess Silverstein really did have a thing for Johnny Cash.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Wait... HE wrote "A Boy Named Sue"?
How could I have gone my whole life without KNOWING that?
WHY DON'T SOMEONE TELL ME THESE THINGS?!!

Anyhoo... My favorite work by Uncle Shelbert?
God, what is with you and asking me to choose favorites OF my favorites?

Probably his children's poetry books. He didn't lower himself to spewing out sugar-coated pablum just because he was writing for kids. No, he kept every ounce of his twisted and often dark sense of humor and, as a result, kids LOVED it!

[jenrose]

Someone ate the baby.

It's rather sad to say.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Where the Sidewalk Ends still gives me shivers just thinking about it.

"We'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow
And go where the chalk-white arrows go
for the children they mark
and the children they know
the place where the sidewalks ends."

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I recall reading Lafcadio multiple times when I was about ten, but apparently blanked out any sadder bits as I had to look it up on Wiki just now to see how it ended. I'll always remember it, though, for making marshmallows (which I normally don't like) seem delicious.

The one I always remember:

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Would you like to hear about the night
When a fought the terrible--
No?
All right.

"Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe."

[james-the-evil1.livejournal.com]

Shel did a poem for Playboy in the 1970's
Absolutely bleak & desolate VERY adult (not sex but adult in nature) piece called "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe."
I don't know that it's ever been published anywhere besides that one old Playboy, I've never seen it anywhere else. I Googled & found it online:
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/r/rosaliesgoodeatscafe.shtml
Something about it just always spoke to me in a powerful way.

Re: "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe."

[arete.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that link... damn, I wish I could write poetry like that.

Shel

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

As someone who was always flatly appalled by *The Giving Tree,* I'm glad to see the discussion taking place, with a number of intelligent people taking the side I'd have taken. I had no idea that Silverstein had written "25 Minutes to Go" -- my parents hated this, but I loved it. My favorite song of his (very serious) is "The Last Morning," recorded by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. The first two verses of "Sylvia's Mother" are excellent, but the third kind of fizzles. Let us remember him, as we would remember anybody, without trying to sugar-coat the things that almost worked. Note that there was a song on an early Brothers Four album starting with "Well, come along boys -- I'll sing you a song -- of the times when the fish were quick and I was young and strong," that was a completely convincing sea song. Haven't heard it in 30 years. Definitely written by Shel.

Nate Bucklin

[ladymer.livejournal.com]

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child
Listen to the DON'TS
Liten 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.

-Shel Silverstein