"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
I’ve never been one for poetry, but once when I was bored and out of other things to read I read one of Shel Silverstein’s poetry books that my Grandmother had bought for me, Where the Sidewalk Ends. I was pleasantly surprised that I wound up enjoying most of the poems. Poetry had always seemed like a way for people to show off their fancy vocabularies and to “enlighten” us with their ever important message behind a jumble of words told with an “I am holier-than-thou” attitude. Silverstein had always been a breath of fresh air with his simple messages and his playful attitude. Although Slverstein’s poems were aimed for children, I still enjoy them today. It was hard to pick out one out of all the ones I love, but I always liked “Where the Sidewalk Ends” because I feel like a kid again with my imagination on overdrive. The place where the sidewalk ends is described as a magical place that the children go to and that it’s an adventure to go there. Silverstein always awakens my childlike imagination, where hopes and dreams seemed very possible. It’s important to be able to dream of what’s possible and believe I can do almost anything. I always love traveling back to the magical place where the sidewalk ends.
-Regina Locicero
-Regina Locicero