Harvard Book Store: Shel Silverstein 1932-1999

Shel Silverstein 1932-1999

Beloved writer, poet, and cartoonist Shel Silverstein passed away of a heart attack in Key West, Florida, on May 10. He was 66.

Though he is mainly considered a writer of children's books, he wrote with a subtle humor and touching style that resonated with all ages. His poetry books, most notably and , entertained millions of kids with their sometimes-shocking images and hilarious endings. But his stories, particularly and , contained simple truths that affected both children and the young-at-heart.

Silverstein is survived by his 15-year-old son Matthew.

The poems below are from his collection .

LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS
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.

THE SEARCH
I went to find the pot of gold
That's waiting where the rainbow ends.
I searched and searched and searched and searched
And searched and searched, and then--
There it was, deep in the grass,
Under an old and twisty bough.
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine at last. . .
What do I search for now?

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