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Shel Silverstein

Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25,1930-May 10,1999) was an important American poet, songwriter, composer, cartoonist, and children's writer.

Silverstein claimed he never studied the poetry of others, and therefore developed his own style. His style was laid-back and conversational, and occasionally used dialect, profanity, and recent slang, but in an unaffected, un-selfconscious manner that kept attention focused on the subject matter, not the language.

Silverstein began as a writer and cartoonist for Playboy Magazine in 1952, but he is best known for writing and illustrating his outstanding children's books including The Missing Piece , A Light in the Attic, Where the Sidewalk Ends , Falling Up and The Giving Tree. He also wrote Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book , a children's format book that is probably not suitable for many children.

Silverstein kept a low profile but cast a long shadow. He tended to shun publicity and even photographers. If Silverstein's name had appeared prominently on everything he created, he would be much better known. For example, he wrote the music and lyrics for "A Boy Named Sue", performed by Johnny Cash (for which he won a Grammy in 1970); and "The Unicorn Song", performed by The Irish Rovers. He wrote the lyrics and music for all the Dr. Hook songs of the 1970s, including "Cover of the Rollin' Stone" and "Sylvia's Mother". He wrote many of the songs done by Bobby Bare, including "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe", "Mermaid", "The Winner", and "Tequila Sheila".

The lyrics to "The Three-Legged Man" provide an excellent example of his rollicking humorous style:

Well now friends you'll never guess it so I really must confess it
I just met the sweetest woman of my long dismal life.
But a friend of mine said, "Buddy, just in case your mind is muddy,
Don't you know that girl you're fooling with is Peg-Leg Johnson's wife.
And that man is big and rough and mean and grim,
And he'll brain you with his artificial limb.
But next morning bright and early I stole old Peg-Leg's girlie,
And I also took his wooden leg just to play it safe.
But there weren't no time for laughter 'cause he started hopping after,
And I keep on running faster but he won't give up the chase.
And I'm running through the mountain with his bride,
And I got his wooden leg here by my side.
I'm a three-legged man with a two-legged woman
Being chased cross country by a one-legged fool.
Though he's huffing and he's puffing and he shows no sign of stopping,
I tell you, boys, this life is hard and cruel.

'Cross the deserts and the valleys and the dark Chicago alleys
'Cross the mighty Mississippi to the hills of Caroline.
Through the mountains of Montana and the swamps of Louisiana
Everytime that I look back he's JUST one foot behind.
And I know he must be cold and wet and sick,
But in spite of all his woes he can kick.
Now he's ragged and he's filthy, and I'm feeling mighty guilty
'Specially in the evenings when I hear him plead and beg.
He says "In spite of all your stealing friend, I bear you no hard feelings.
You can keep that darned old woman but please give me back my leg."
'Cause although the one you meant to take was wooden
In the dark by mistake you took my good'un.

He co-wrote the screenplay Things Change with David Mamet, and was nominated for an Oscar for his music for the film Postcards from the Edge. He also composed original music for several other films (see listing).

Silverstein believed that written works needed to be read on paper, and with the correct paper for the work. He usually would not allow his poems or stories to be published unless he could choose the type, size, shape and color of the paper himself.

He continued to write colloquial poetry on occasion throughout his life, including a rap version of Shakespeare's Hamlet that was published (on yellow-beige specialty paper) in Playboy Magazine in 1998.

Silverstein died of a heart attack at the age of 68 in Key West, Florida.

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Last updated: 11-03-2004 05:00:14