LISTEN TO THE MUSTN’TS by Shel Silverstein

(By Sarah Deeb)

Here’s an inspiring poem for us to look at today:
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.

Central Message: Don’t listen to all the rules saying nothing is possible, in truth everything is.

The attitude of the poem: Brings about hope and possibility in its readers!

Shift: The shift is when he goes from “listen to the NEVER HAVES” to the “Listen close to me.” Here he shifts from everything you’ve heard to what you really need to hear, coming straight from Shel himself, that don’t listen to the rules that limit you, anything can be.

My feelings: The poem captures eloquently the words used for limitations. By capitalizing each word, the reader gets the feeling of actually being scolded by a parent, “Don’t do this,” or “shouldn’t do that,” and so the turn in the poem where he finally parents us by calling us a child yet still giving us possibility is empowering and a reversal of what we may have been brought up to experience.

My whole childhood and upbringing has been filled with such rules, and although I understand they are there to sometimes keep me safe and well-behaved, too many times my dreams and hopes have been shot down. This gives me the feeling to continue pursuing my dreams again!

A light in the attic by Shel Silverstein

(By Sarah Deeb)

There’s a light on in the attic.
Though the house is dark and shuttered,
I can see a flickerin’ flutter,
And I know what it’s about.
There’s a light on in the attic.
I can see it from the outside,
And I know you’re on the inside… lookin’ out.

Central Message: Don’t give up hope, I know your’e looking out seeking freedom, there’s still light inside.

The attitude of the poem: The attitude is one of gentleness and support, that though your life may be dark like this house that is shuttered, there is light in the attic and that i know you’re looking out for light and for hope.

Shift: The main shift is the last line, which gives depth to the poem, that he’s not just talking about a house, but about a person and what someone is going through, and he captures that well by saying that the person is in the inside yet looking out.

My feelings: This poem is very descriptive, and very imaginative. It captures the light with the beautiful words of “flickerin’ flutter,” while positioning it not only in the house, but in the attic, the lowest part of the house. One gets a sense that this is an abandoned and gloomy house, but that there is still some light or life in there somewhere. When Silverstein then mentions that the person is inside the house, looking out, the full meaning of the words is revealed, that in the dark house lives someone hoping for light to come back in!

Is this a recommended poem? Yes, especially for those feeling hopeless! I can imagine such a poem inspiring people like in Syria and other places where they’ve lost everything, they can feel some hope knowing that there are others who understand what they’re going through and even in the darkest of times there is still light inside.

My Rules by Shel Silverstein

(By Sarah Deeb)

If you want to marry me, here’s what you’ll have to do:
You must learn how to make a perfect chicken-dumpling stew.
And you must sew my holey socks,
And soothe my troubled mind,
And develop the knack for scratching my back,
And keep my shoes spotlessly shined.
And while I rest you must rake up the leaves,
And when it’s hailing and snowing
You must shovel the walk… and be still when I talk,
And—hey—where are you going?

Central Message: If you have too many rules in order for people to start a relationship with you, you’ll always remain single!

The attitude of the poem: The poem is satirical in nature, capturing a man who actually does have a lot of rules, and while he’s explaining them, the girl, representative of most everyone he tries to get a relationship with, walks out as she’s heard enough.

Shift: The shift is in the last line where after he continues to outline his rules, he sees the girl just walking out and says, “And—hey—where are you going?”

My feelings: The poem is very satirical, mentioning how perfectionist the individual is wanting “spotlessly shined” shoes and how marriage for him is the girl doing everything for him, there was no mention of anythings he was interested in doing for her.

Is this a recommended poem? Yes, definitely! Too many of us have too many rules for others and need to learn to have less of them!

Put Something In by Shel Silverstein

(By Sarah Deeb)

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.

Central Message: Go ahead, forget the fears, and do something crazy without restraint!

The attitude of the poem: Freedom to be silly and be okay with it.

Shift: I don’t think there’s a big shift anywhere in the poem, but the last two lines sort of are the cherry on top for advice whereas the beginning of the poem is saying do specific silly things the last two lines are more broad and general of putting something in the world that hasn’t been there before.

My feelings: I think this is a very Rumi-like poem, since in one of Rumi’s poems he says: “Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah…it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you,” very similar to how Silverstein ends by saying “Put something silly in the world that ain’t been there before.” It makes the reader more confident in doing those things that may be different but that we love doing- like writing and so many other things!

Is this a recommended poem? Yes, my friends are already silly so this one will hit home to justify our silliness.

Masks by Shel Silverstein

(By Sarah Deeb)

She had blue skin.
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by—
And never knew.

Central Message: You may keep searching for those people or things that are more like your true self, but because you keep hiding your true self, they miss connecting to you and you miss connecting to them!

The attitude of the poem: It’s one of lost connection and lost happiness and lost joy all because both sides didn’t show their true blue self!

Shift: Occurs when after their search he concludes it by saying “Then passed right by- and never knew,” shifting from their search to their lost connection and ignorance of them not knowing they were what each other were looking for all along.

My feelings: The poem is so simple and elegant in words, only 31 words, yet so powerful. It gives the sentiment of how often we mindlessly pass through what we were searching for, never knowing that it was the perfect match because we were too busy covering our real faces and identities. A thoughtful and beautiful poem, calling us to drop the masks we have been so used to wearing, so that we can finally be our blue selves and attract the other blue people that were were meant to be with.

Is this a recommended poem? This poem I would recommend to those friends who are going through tough relationship times or breakup times and have a chance of getting back together.

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