I Must Remember, 14
I Won't Hatch!, 127
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too, 16-17
If I Had a Brontosaurus, 103
If the World Was Crazy, 146
I'm Making a List, 37
Instructions, 129
Invention, 48
Invisible Boy, 82
Invitation, 9
It's Dark in Here, 21
Jimmy Jet and His TV Set, 28-29
Joey, 26
Jumping Rope, 62
Just Me, Just Me, 152
Land of Happy, 143
Lazy Jane, 87
Lester, 69
Listen to the Mustn'ts, 27
Little Blue Engine, 158
Longest Nose, 134-135
Long-Haired Boy, 137-139
Loser, 25
Love, 95
Ma and God, 119
Magic, 11
Magical Eraser, 99
Me and My Giant, 38-39
Melinda Mae, 154-156
Merry . . . , 164
Me-Stew, 122
Minnow Minnie, 105
My Beard, 163
My Hobby, 129
My Rules, 74
No Difference, 81
Oh Have You Heard, 75
171
One Who Stayed, 153 Ourchestra, 23
Pancake?,34
Paul Bunyan, 124-125
Peanut-Butter Sandwich, 84-86
Pirate Captain Jim, 144
Planet of Mars, 93
Poem on the Neck of a Running Giraffe, A. 107
Point of View, 98
Poor Angus, 117
Rain, 40
Razor-Tailed Wren, 106
Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich, 115
Ridiculous Rose, 63
Rudy Felsh, 134
Santa and the Reindeer, 90-91
Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out, 70-71
Search, 166
Shadow Wash, 113
Sick, 58-59
Silver Fish, 148
Skinny, 142
Sky Seasoning, 31
Sleeping Sardines, 54
Smart, 35
Snowman, 65
Spaghetti, 100
Standing, 152
Stone Telling, 147
Thumbs, 68
Tight Hat, 83
Toucan, 92
Traffic Light, 121
Tree House, 79
True Story, 43
Two Boxes, 41
Unicorn, 76-77
Upstairs, 60
Us, 36
Warning, 75
What a Day, 118
What's in the Sack?, 1ll
Where the Sidewalk Ends, 64
Who, 63
Wild Boar, 68
With His Mouth Full of Food, 128
Won't You?, 112
Worst, 130
172 173
174
The work and love of many people went into the making of this book.
To Ursula Nordstrom, Barbara Borack,
Dorothy Hagen, Beri Greenwald,
and Gloria Bressler. .. and to Bill Cole
for his continued encouragement.. . Thank you.
- Shel Silverstein 175
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following poems have been published previously in slightly different versions:
"I Must Remember," "Flag," and "Oh Have You Heard" previously appeared inPoems forSeasonsand Celebrationsedited by William Cole. CopyrightA(c)1961 by William Cole. World Publishing Company. "Oh Have You Heard" previously appeared as "Oh Did You Hear?"
"Early Bird" first appeared in Poetry Brief edited by William Cole. CopyrightA(c) 1971 by William Cole. The Macmillan Company. The poem also appeared in lyric form. A(c)Copyright 1973 Evil Eye Music, Inc., New York, New York. Used by permission.
"Rain," "For Sale," "Tight Hat," "If I Had a Brontosaurus," and "The Generals" previously appeared inOh,That's Ridiculous!Poems selected by William Cole. Text copyrightA(c) 1972 by William Cole. The Viking Press, Inc. "The Generals" also appeared in lyric form as "The Peace Proposal." A(c)Copyright 1972 Evil Eye Music, Inc., New York, New York. Used by permission.
"Boa Constrictor" first appeared in lyric form. TRO -A(c) Copyright 1962, 1968, and 1969 by Hollis Music, Inc., New York, New York. Used by permission. "Boa Constrictor" also appeared inOh, What Nonsense!Poems selected by William Cole. Text copyright A(c)1966 by William Cole. The Viking Press, Inc.
"Invention" and "My Rules" previously appeared in PickMe Up: A Book ofShort Poemsedited by William Cole. CopyrightA(c) 1972 by William Cole. The Macmillan Company.
"Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out" first appeared inBeastly Boys and Ghastly Girlsedited by William Cole. CopyrightA(c)1964 by William Cole. World Publishing Company. The poem also appeared in lyric form as "Sahra Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out." A(c)Copyright 1973 Evil Eye Music, Inc., New York, New York. Used by permission.
"Drats" previously appeared as "Wanted" inA Cat-Hater's Handbook or the Ailurophobe's Delight
edited by William Cole and TomiUngerer. CopyrightA(c) 1963 by William Cole and Tomi Ungerer.
The Dial Press, Inc.
"The Unicorn" and "The Flying Festoon" previously appeared in lyric form. TRO -A(c)Copyright
1962 and 1968 Hollis Music, Inc., New York, New York. Used by permission.
"Helping" first appeared in lyric form inFree To Be . ..You and Me. CopyrightA(c)1972 by The Ms.
Foundation for Women, Inc. The poem also appeared inFree To Be . . . You and Me.Copyright
A(c)1974, Free to be Foundation, Inc. McGraw-Hill Book Company.
"The Bloath" previously appeared as "About the Bloath" inThe Birds and the Beasts Were There
edited by William Cole. CopyrightA(c)1963 by William Cole. World Publishing Company.
"Won't You?" previously appeared as an untitled poem inA Bookof Love Poems edited by William
Cole. CopyrightA(c)1965 by William Cole. The Viking Press, Inc.
"Paul Bunyan" previously appeared in lyric form.A(c)Copyright 1968, 1969 Evil Eye Music, Inc.,
New York, New York. Used by permission.
"The Silver Fish" previously appeared inTheSea, Shipsand Sailors: Poems, Songs and Shanties
selected by William Cole. CopyrightA(c)1967 by William Cole. The Viking Press, Inc.