Member since:
May 2, 2006

Whatif by Shel Silverstein

September 10, 2006 12:43 PM EDT (Updated: September 10, 2006 12:45 PM EDT)

views: 1328 | rating: 10/10 (4 votes) | comments: 12

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow talle?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

A truly unique and multi-faceted artist, Shel Silverstein was a renowned poet, playwright, illustrator, screenwriter, and songwriter. Best known for his immensely popular children's books including The Giving Tree, Falling Up, and A Light in the Attic, Silverstein has delighted tens of millions of readers around the world, becoming one of the most popular and best-loved children's authors of all time.

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Tags: whatif, shel silverstein, poem, kids books, poetry, poet, writing

To Groups: Poets and Writers, Free Thinking, Wanderings of the mind, And now for something completely different..., Poetry by our favourite poets.

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Comments: 12

julian 'blighted karma' three Sep 10, 2006, 1:02pm EDT

The man was also, imho, a genius in many ways; he spent a good bit of time on Martha's Vineyard, where a friend of mine lived for much of her life. She would often see him just wandering along the roadside, barefooted, thinking or maybe sketching.
The Giving Tree is one of the most touching things I've ever read.
Thank you for bringing some of his lighter, yet equally insightful, words here to share with us.

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William M. Sep 10, 2006, 1:03pm EDT

Tnanks.

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gautami tripathy Sep 10, 2006, 2:08pm EDT

Whatif is the question we always kleep asking ourselves. I would like all of usto share our favourite poets here. It seems I am the only one posting here.

Please do post any poet you like.

Reading is not enough, sharing is what I want.

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Shaunee C. Sep 10, 2006, 5:11pm EDT

That is very true I am always asking myself that very question.All the time like what if i post something on gather and no one likes it?What if ?very good

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julian 'blighted karma' three Sep 10, 2006, 9:22pm EDT

You mean the names of the poets? Or post their words? For names, I have many but among those at the top of the list, Jacques Brel, Edgar A Poe, certainly we agree on Shel S., then there is Tennyson, L. McKennit, and several haiku masters and Asian poets, including Basho:

Shake, oh grave!
The autumn wind
Is the voice of my wailing.

Tsuka mo ugoke
waga naku koe wa
aki no kaze ~

Basho

AND - shaunee? You have perhaps seen that I have posted several kinds of verse and narratives, some of which greatly differ from one another; so, just post what you feel and it will find its own followers. No one will throw rotten fruit ;o)

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amanda wallin Sep 10, 2006, 9:42pm EDT

I've had it with the present and the nostalgic 'what if's?'. We can't let them rule us or will spend our lives in worry/misery. Easier said than done. How I love Shel!

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Carol Roach Sep 10, 2006, 11:16pm EDT

that was so delightful, sounds like a teenager.

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gautami tripathy Sep 11, 2006, 8:48am EDT

Shaunee, As jullian says I have always posted on vast and varied subjects, poetry, prose, inane stuff etc etc.

If your writing is good or more important what you want to convey comes out sincerely then you get your own set of readers. It has to be mutually satisfying.

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gautami tripathy Sep 11, 2006, 8:50am EDT

Jullian, please do post here about poets/their works. Like the haikus.

Look forward to contributions from you.

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gautami tripathy Sep 11, 2006, 8:51am EDT

Thanks amanda and carol....

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Jayeah Sta Romana Sep 27, 2006, 5:59am EDT

.,thiZ poEm is soO cOoL., itS oUr rEpoRt iN ouR cLaSs., buT wHy is tHe wOrD wHaTif sTick tOgEtHeR??., i hAv mAnY wHatiFs iN mY miNd.......,

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Emmy M. Feb 25, 2008, 5:17pm EST

I have to do a report on this, too. Personally I love the poem as well as many of Shel's. I love tons of poetry, and I write my own, too.
as i sit here
my lids slowly lowering
i wonder whT
could have been
between you and i
then the dreams come
and turn into nightmares
not because of ghosts
but of futures of ghosts
rising from a friendship
a relationship

I'm not that good, but I have fun with it XD

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