Falling UP

Silverstein, S. (1996).  Falling up.  New York:  Harper Collins Publisher Inc.

This collection of poems by Shel Silverstein can catch the attention of just about any audience.  As I sat down to read this book, I was immediately taken back to Where the Sidewalk Ends, even though I have not read Falling Up until now, I always found Silverstein to be hilarious.  His poems are to be taken lightly; you either share his same humor or you do not.  While reading this book in a crowded room full of silence, I found it hard not to at least smile at many of his poems.  His poetry seems to reach out and relate to just about everything that occurs in life or some times in a person’s imagination.  It is kind of like the thought of, "well that is interesting, I'm glad that someone else had that exact thought."  It's just funny to read his work.

Silverstein used many different sound patterns in this book, many of which contained rhymes and onomatopoeia.  There were even some poems that contain repetition.  One that stood out to me was "Tell Me". 

TELL ME

Tell me I'm clever,

Tell me I'm kind,

Tell me I'm talented,

Tell me I'm cute,

Tell me I'm sensitive,

Graceful and wise,

Tell me I'm perfect--

But tell me the truth.



It seems to be about everything that a person wants to hear but in turn no one ever wants to be lied to.  There is also an alliteration pattern on page 158, grungy, grumpy, grouchy and an assonance pattern on page 138; creepy, weepy, screamy.  In a book of poems such as Falling Up, there are good examples of all patterns as Silverstein explores all sides of poetry.  The fun thing that he also does is, gives almost every poem an illustration.  Some of the illustrations make sense to me but then there are those few that I have no idea how he came up with the idea.  That is what makes his illustrations so much fun.  His pen and ink technique on some of them adds depth and detail but for the most part he just uses simple penmanship.  No matter how silly the poem or illustration, Silverstein seems to get his ideas across.  He does a wonderful job making a person get out of their comfort zone.

I chose to read this book because I have only read Where the Sidewalk Ends and thought this would be the perfect time to continue the readings of Shel Silverstein.  It's always hard to get into poetry because I do not understand it fully.  I would like for poetry to be fun instead of me feeling like it is something that always has to be taken apart to figure out what is being said.  I think that is why I enjoy reading this book so much, there is not always a meaning written within.  I think that I would use this book in a classroom because it is so much fun.  I would assign each poem that did not have an illustration to the students and have them come up with a drawing.  It would be a creative way to see how each person thinks and also to see how different we all can be.

Big Question:  If there were a poem of your life, exactly how it is right now, how would it read?  What would your poem say about your accomplishments and ambitions?