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Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein Quotes

Poet

Shel Silverstein was an American poet, cartoonist, and writer, best known for his children's books that are often whimsical and humorous. His most famous works include 'Where the Wild Things Are' and 'The Giving Tree'. Silverstein's writing style is characterized by its playful and imaginative storytelling.

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All Ifs Said Knows Life Lesson Littles Want Sidewalk Tree Boys Looks Play Poem Thinking White Life People Pieces Walks World Bits

Famous Shel Silverstein Quotes

“At night my mind does not much care if what it thinks is here or there. It tells me stories, it invents and makes up things that don't make sense. I do not know why it does this stuff. The real world seems quite weird enough.”

Ifs Thinking Knows World Mind Doe Real Enough Stories Seems Care Night Stuff Make Sense Real World

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain't enough!”

Ifs Thinking Enough Tough Track Hills Rough Life Lesson

Author:Shel Silverstein

“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.”

People Ifs Want Believe Hands I Believe Food Cooking Culinary Corn Corny Sandwiches Sock Beef

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough.”

Ifs Want Feels Looks Enough Cartoonist

Author:Shel Silverstein

“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.”

Ifs Littles Care Behinds Tunes

Author:Shel Silverstein

“It's always a nice feeling, having people think that you feel things much deeper than you're allowed to say, but this isn't true. If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough.”

People Ifs Thinking Want Feels Looks Enough Feelings Nice Deeper Cartoonist Nice Feeling

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you are a dreamer come in If you are a dreamer a wisher a liar A hoper a pray-er a magic-bean-buyer If youre a pretender com sit by my fire For we have some flax golden tales to spin Come in! Come in!”

Ifs Hope Imagination Fire Magic Praying Tales Golden Liars Dreamer My Imagination Beans Buyers Pretender Flax

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you have to dry the dishes (Such an awful boring chore) If you have to dry the dishes ('Stead of going to the store) If you have to dry the dishes And you drop one on the floor Maybe they won't let you Dry the dishes anymore”

Ifs Boring Stores Awful Dry Dishes Chores

Author:Shel Silverstein

“I'm making a list I'm making a list of things I must say For politeness, And goodness and kindness and gentleness Sweetness and rightness: Hello Pardon me How are you? Excuse me Bless you May I? Thank you Goodbye If you know some that I've forgot, Please stick them in you eye!”

Ifs Knows May Eye Kindness Please Goodness Sticks Excuse Lists Goodbye Bless Sweetness Hello Gentleness Pardon Politeness Excuse Me Goodness And Kindness Pardon Me

Author:Shel Silverstein

“Early bird 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 bird— But if you’re a worm, sleep late.”

Ifs Sleep Late Bird Breakfast Plates Worms Early Bird Sleep Late

Author:Shel Silverstein

“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.”

Ifs Knows Giving Bigs Faces Causes Doors Cold Bears Give Me Fishes Likes Ice Meat Seats Scare Dishes Rice Soda Paws Noodles Licking Polar Bears Nibbling

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you are a dreamer come in”

Book:Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

Source: Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

“If there is a book you want to read but isn`t written yet,write it.”

Ifs Want Writing Book Written Life Lesson

Author:Shel Silverstein

“So what if nobody came? I’ll have all the ice cream and tea, And I’ll laugh with myself, And I’ll dance with myself, And I’ll sing, “Happy Birthday to me!”

Ifs Laughing Ice Tea What If Cream Ice Cream

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you're sloppy, that's just fine. If you're moody, I won't mind. If you're fat, that's fine with me. If you're skinny, let it be. If you're bossy, that's all right. if you're nasty, I won't fight. If you're rough, well that's just you. If you're mean, that's all right too. Whatever you are is all okay. I don't like you anyway.”

Ifs Mind Wells Mean Fighting Like You Fine Okay Fats Rough Nasty Skinny Sloppy Moody Bossy I Don't Like You

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If you're nasty, I won't fight. If you're rough, well that's just you. If you're mean, that's alright too. Whatever you are is all okay. I don't like you anyway.”

Ifs Wells Mean Fighting Like You Okay Rough Nasty Alright I Don't Like You

Author:Shel Silverstein

“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 is hailing and snowing You must shovel the walk...and be still when I talk, And-hey-where are you going?”

Ifs Want Mind Stills Walks Perfect Shoes Snow Hey Chickens Sock Marriage Advice Marry Me Knack Shovels Stew Rakes Dumplings

Author:Shel Silverstein

“If we meet and I say, "Hi," That's a salutation. If you ask me how I feel, That's a consideration. If we stop and talk awhile, That's a conversation. If we understand each other, That's communication. If we argue, scream and fight, That's an altercation. If later we apologize, That's a reconciliation. If we help each other home, That's cooperation. And all these ations added up Make civilization. (And if I say this is a wonderful poem, Is that exaggeration?)”

“If you're a bird, be an early bird. But if you're a worm, sleep late.”

Ifs Sleep Late Bird Life Lesson Worms Early Bird Sleep Late

Author:Shel Silverstein

About the Author

Born: September 25, 1930
Died: May 10, 1999
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 156

Related Topics

Ifs Said Knows Life Lesson Littles Want Sidewalk Tree Boys Looks Play Poem Thinking White Life People Pieces Walks World Bits

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Where the Sidewalk EndsRelated source material

Uncle Shelby's story of Lafcadio, the lion who shot backRelated source material

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and DrawingsRelated source material

A Light in the AtticRelated source material

The Missing PieceRelated source material

The World of Shel Silverstein Fabric BannerRelated source material

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