deb (10/28/82)
#N:uicsovax:20200001:000:2343 uicsovax!deb Oct 28 09:43:00 1982 Excerpts from Shel Silvertein's "A Light in the Attic" (1981) "Put Something In" Draw a crazy picture, Write a nutty poem, Sing a mumble-gumble song, Whistle through your comb, Do a loony-goony dance 'Cross the kitchen floor, Put something silly in the world That ain't been there before "Hurk" I'd rather play tennis than go to the dentist I'd rather play soccer than go to the doctor I'd rather play Hurk than go to work Hurk? Hurk? What's Hurk? I don't know, but it must be better than work "Arrows" I shot an arrow toward the sky, It hit a white cloud floating by. The cloud fell dying to the shore, I don't shoot arrows anymore. "Peckin'" The saddest think I ever did see Was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree. He looks at me, and "Friend," says he, "Things ain't as sweet as they used to be." "Rockabye" Rockabye baby, in the treetop. Don't you know a treetop Is no safe place to rock? And who put you up there, And your cradle too? Baby, I think someone down here's Got it in for you. "Standing Is Stupid" Standing is stupid, Crawling's a curse, Skipping is silly, Walking is worse. Hopping is hopeless, Jumping's a chore, Sitting is senseless, Leaning's a bore. Running's ridiculous, Jogging's insane --- Guess I'll go upstairs and Lie down again. "Anteater" "A genuine anteater," The pet man told my dad. Turned out, it was an aunt eater, And now my uncle's mad! "Headache" Having a tree growing up out of me Is often a worrisome thing. I'm twisty and thorny and branchy and bare But wait till you see me in Spring. "Batty" The baby bat Screamed out in fright, "Turn on the dark, I'm afraid of the light." "Fear" Barnabus Browning Was scared of drowning. So he never would swim Or get into a boat Or take a bath Or cross a moat. He just sat day and night With his door locked tight And the windows nailed down, Shaking with fear That a wave might appear. And he cried so many tears That they filled up the room And he drowned. "God's Wheel" God says to me with kind of a smile, "Hey how would you like to be God awhile And steer the world?" "Okay," says I, "I'll give it a try. Where do I set? How much do I get? What time is lunch? When can I quit?" "Gimme back that wheel," says God, "I don't think you're quite ready yet."