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Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein Quotes

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Famous Shel Silverstein Quotes

“One day he said, "I'll tell this town How it feels to be an unfunny clown." And he told them all why he looked so sad, And he told them all why he felt so bad. He told of Pain and Rain and Cold, He told of Darkness in his soul, And after he finished his tale of woe, Did everyone cry? Oh no, no, no, They laughed until they shook the trees... And while the world laughed outside. Cloony the Clown sat down and cried.”

WorldFeelsSaidSoulPainFeltDarknessTreeCryColdOne DayRainTownsDown AndFinishedTalesSatLaughedCriedWoeClownSo Sad
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“I asked the Zebra, are you black with white stripes? Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me, Are you good with bad habits? Or are you bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times? Or are you quiet with noisy times? Are you happy with some sad days? Or are you sad with some happy days? Are you neat with some sloppy ways? Or are you sloppy with some neat ways? And on and on and on and on and on and on he went. I’ll never ask a zebra about stripes...again.”

WayAsksBlackWhiteHabitQuietNeatBad HabitsNoisyStripesSloppyGood HabitsHappy DayQuiet TimeZebrasSad DayWhite Stripes
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“There's a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire-- He likes it 'cause it's cold in there. With his seat in the meat And his face in the fish And his big hairy paws In the buttery dish, He's nibbling the noodles, And munching the rice, He's slurping the soda, He's licking the ice. And he lets out a roar If you open the door. And it gives me a scare To know he's in there-- That Polary Bear In our Fridgitydaire.”

IfsKnowsGivingBigsFacesCausesDoorsColdBearsGive MeFishesLikesIceMeatSeatsScareDishesRiceSodaPawsNoodlesLickingPolar BearsNibbling
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“Once I spoke the language of the flowers, Once I understood each word the caterpillar said, Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings, And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed. Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets, And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow, Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . . How did it go? How did it go?”

SaidFallLanguageSecretHeardDyingCryFlowerBedConversationUnderstoodSnowSpokesGossipCricketCaterpillarsFlakesStarlings
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“The Little Boy and the Old Man Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon." Said the 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.”

KnowsMenMeanLittlesSaidSometimesHandsSeemsFeltPayAttentionBoysWorstCryPay AttentionOld ManWarmthLaughedPantsWetLittle BoysSpoons
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“The Voice There is a voice inside of you That whispers all day long, "I feel 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.”

KnowsMenLifeInspirationalFeelsLongSpeakParentVoiceTeacherWiseListeningPreacherFollow Your HeartInner VoiceSinger SongwritersWhisperingJust ListenListen To Your HeartScreenwritersFeels RightCartoonistListen To Yourself
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“The bridge will only take you halfway there, to those mysterious lands you long to see. Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fair, 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 will only take you halfway there. The last few steps you have to take alone.”

WorldLongRunningLastsWalksKnownStepsShareLandFairsWoodsMysteriousBridgesCampsTrailsHalfwayGypsyWondrousUnicornHalfway There
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“Eighteen luscuios scrumpitous flavors, Chocolate,Lime and Cherry Coffee,Pumpkin, Fudge-Banana, Caramel Cream and boysenberry. Rocky Road and Toasted Almond, Butterscotch,Vanilla Dip, Butter Brinkle, Apple Ripple,Coconut,and Mocha Chip, Brandy Peach and Lemon Custard. Each scoop lovely.smooth and round. Tallest cream cone in town lying there on the ground.”

LyingTownsRoundsCoffeeLovelyApplesChocolateCreamSmoothFlavorChipsEighteenBananasLemonsCherriesRippleDipPeachesPumpkinVanillaConesCoconutsBrandyLimesAlmondsFudgeCaramelCustardMochaButterscotchRocky Road
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“Ourchestra: So you haven't got a drum, just beat your belly. So I haven't got a horn-I'll play my nose. So we haven't any cymbals- We'll just slap our hands together, And though there may be orchestras That sound a little better With their fancy shiny instruments That cost an awful lot- Hey, we're making music twice as good By playing what we've got!”

MayLittlesPlayHandsTogetherSoundHavensCostBeatsInstrumentsAwfulHeyNosesFancyBellyOrchestraHornsSlapCymbalsHands Together
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“No Difference 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!”

WayLooksBigsLightTurnsBlackDifferencesWhitePoorRichRedSizeGiantsYellowReach OutOrangePeanutsTurn Off
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“Pirate Dreams Needles and pins, Needles and pins, Sew me a sail to catch me the wind. Sew me a sail strong as the gale, Carpenter, bring out your hammers and nails. Hammers and nails, hammers and nails, Build me a boat to go chasing the whales. Chasing the whales, sailing the blue Find me a captain and sign me a crew. Captain and crew, captain and crew, Take me, oh take me to anywhere new.”

DreamStrongWindBlueBoatTake MeNailsSailCaptainsCrewSailingChasingHammersFind MePinsNeedlesPirateWhalesCarpenterGaleCatch Me
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“Knock! knock! who's there? me! me who? that's right? what's right? meehoo! that's what I want to know! what's what you want to know? me who? yes, exactly! exactly what? yes, I have exactlywatt on a chain! exactly what on a chain? yes! yes what? no, exactlywatt! that's what I want to know! I told you-exactlywatt! exactly what? yes! yes what? yes it's with me. what's with you? exactlywatt-that's what with me. me who? yes! go away! knock knock...”

KnowsWantWhat You WantChainsGoing AwayKnow Me
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“I said, "I'll take the T-bone steak." A soft voice mooed, "Oh wow." And I looked up and realized The waitress was a cow. I cried, "Mistake--forget the the steak. I'll take the chicken then." I heard a cluck--'twas just my luck The busboy was a hen. I said, "Okay no, fowl today. I'll have the seafood dish." Then I saw through the kitchen door The cook--he was a fish. I screamed, "Is there anyone workin' here Who's an onion or a beet? No? Your're sure? Okay then friends, A salad's what I'll eat." They looked at me. "Oh,no," they said, "The owner is a cabbage head.”

SaidTodayVoiceForgetMistakeSawsDoorsHeardOkayLuckFishesBonesCooksKitchenOwnersChickensWowCowsCriedDishesThey SaidSaladSeafoodSteakOnionsWaitressHensCabbageFowlBeetsBusboys
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“An oak tree and a rosebush grew, Young and green together, Talking the talk of growing things- Wind and water and weather. And while the rosebush sweetly bloomed The oak tree grew so high That now it spoke of newer things- Eagles, mountain peaks and sky. "I guess you think you're pretty great," The rose was heard to cry, Screaming as loud as it possibly could To the treetop in the sky. "And now you have no time for flower talk, Now that you've grown so tall." "It's not so much that I've grown," said the tree, "It's just that you've stayed so small.”

ThinkingSaidTogetherYoungWaterTalkingGrowingHeardTreeSkyCryWindFlowerGrewMountainGreenRoseWeatherLoudSpokesTallEaglesOaksOak TreeYou Re PrettyMountain PeaksGrowing ThingsTreetops
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“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.”

TryingDarkViewsBlueLuckDinnerPoint Of ViewSundayChickensDucksEasterTurkeysSunnyLambsSaladViewpointsBad LuckPorkLobsterTunaThanklessThanksgiving DinnerChristmas DinnerSunday Dinner
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