Sheldon Allan “Shel” Silverstein was an American writer known for his cartoons, songs, and children’s books. Profoundly inspirational Shel Silverstein quotes will challenge the way you think, and make your life worth living.
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Famous Shel Silverstein Quotes
I will not play tug o war. I’d rather play hug o war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins. Shel Silverstein
Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. Shel Silverstein
Never explain what you do. It speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it. Shel Silverstein
How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give em. Shel Silverstein
Imagine four years you could have spent travelling around Europe meeting people, or going to the Far East of Africa or India, meeting people, exchanging ideas, reading all you wanted to anyway, and instead I wasted it at Roosevelt. Shel Silverstein
Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy. Shel Silverstein
People are always giving you credit for really wanting to say more than you said. Shel Silverstein
My skin is kind of sort of brownish pinkish yellowish white. My eyes are greyish blueish green, but I’m told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, but its silver when its wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet. Shel Silverstein
I want to go everywhere, look at and listen to everything. You can go crazy with some of the wonderful stuff there is in life. Shel Silverstein
The bridge will only take you halfway there, to those mysterious lands you long to see. Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fair, and moonlit woods where unicorns run free. So come and walk awhile with me and share the twisting trails and wondrous worlds I’ve known. But this bridge will only take you halfway there. The last few steps you have to take alone. Shel Silverstein
I can write a poem in 10 minutes. I like writing songs; I can write songs in 5 or 10 minutes. My concentration seems very short. Shel Silverstein
When the light turns green, you go. When the light turns red, you stop. But what do you do when the light turns blue with orange and lavender spots? Shel Silverstein
I couldn’t play ball. I couldn’t dance. Luckily, the girls didn’t want me. Not much I could do about that. So I started to draw and to write. By the time I got to where I was attracting girls, I was already into work, and it was more important to me. Shel Silverstein
Anything is possible. Anything can be. Shel Silverstein
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. Shel Silverstein
So I’m all of love that could make it today. Shel Silverstein
Comfortable shoes and the freedom to leave are the two most important things in life. Shel Silverstein
And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet. Shel Silverstein
I know a way to stay friends forever, There’s really nothing to it, I tell you what to do, And you do it. Shel Silverstein
If there is a book you want to read but isn`t written yet,write it. Shel Silverstein
What you’ve got to say, you say. Shel Silverstein
I am writing these poems from inside a lion. Shel Silverstein
I myself do not believe in explaining anything. Shel Silverstein
And he didn’t really know where he was going, but he did know he was going somewhere, because you really have to go somewhere, don’t you? Shel Silverstein
I believe that if you don’t want to do anything, then sit there and don’t do it, but don’t expect people to hand you a corn beef sandwich and wash your socks for you and unzip your fly for you. Shel Silverstein
But all the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself. Shel Silverstein
I’m free to leave go wherever I please, do whatever I want; I believe everyone should live like that. Don’t be dependent on anyone else man, woman, child, or dog. Shel Silverstein
Once i spoke the language of the flowers,Once i undrestand each word the caterpillar said,Once i smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings. Shel Silverstein
When I was younger, I wasn’t making it, and I was mad at everybody who was. Shel Silverstein
I’ve found my missin piece So grease my knees and fleece my bees I’ve found my missin piece! Shel Silverstein
The child asks, Why don’t I have this happiness thing you’re telling me about? Shel Silverstein
He wasted his wishes on wishing. Shel Silverstein
If you’re behind the times, they won’t notice you. If you’re right in tune with them, you’re no better than they are, so they won’t care much for you. Be just a little ahead of them. Shel Silverstein
Teddy said it was a hat, So I put it on. Now dad is saying, where the heck’s the toilet plunger gone? Shel Silverstein
To me, freedom entitles you to do something, not to not do something. Shel Silverstein
And the boy loved the tree very much. And the tree was happy. Shel Silverstein
I didn’t have a lot of friends. I just walked around a lot and made up stories in my head. Then I’d go home and write them down. That’s how I got started. Shel Silverstein
You don’t have to shoot me, says the young lion. I will be your rug and I will lie in front of your fireplace and I won’t move a muscle and you can sit on me and toast all the marshmallows you want. I love marshmallows. Shel Silverstein
Stand up comics reflect less of a visual humor and more of a commentary. Shel Silverstein
There are no happy endings, endings are sad so let’s have a happy beginning and a happy middle. Shel Silverstein
You’d better get your laugh while you’re making your point, or you won’t be doing it very long. Shel Silverstein
I can be somebody’s and still be my own. Shel Silverstein
There was a lot about the military that I thought was pretty silly, but these cartoons weren’t meant to take a poke at anybody or anything. They were meant to make people laugh. Shel Silverstein
It’s all the same to the clam. Shel Silverstein
If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That’s enough. Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends. Shel Silverstein
He has the obligation to society that any human being has. I don’t think a satirist has any greater obligation to society than a bricklayer or anybody else. Shel Silverstein
I keep meeting all the right people At all the wrong times. Shel Silverstein
And the tree was happy. Shel Silverstein
Don’t know where he’s going but sees where he’s been. Shel Silverstein
Although I cannot see your face As you flip these poems awhile, Somewhere from some far off place I hear you laughing and I smile. Shel Silverstein
She had blue skin. And so did he. He kept it hid, And so did she. They searched for blue Their whole life through, Then passed right by And never knew. Shel Silverstein
And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.Shel Silverstein
I was hoping that perhaps I could roll with you. You cannot roll with me, said the Big O, but perhaps you can roll by yourself. Shel Silverstein
Underneath my outside face There’s a face that none can see. A little less smiley A little less sure / But a whole lot more like me. Shel Silverstein
Anything can happen child, anything can be. Shel Silverstein
If the track is tough and the hill is rough,thinking you can just ain’t enough! Shel Silverstein
Since my fried left me,I’ve got nothing to do but walking.I walk to forget.I walk,I escape,I get further.My friend will not come back,now I am a marathon man. Shel Silverstein
Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. Shel Silverstein
Never explain what you do. It speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it. Shel Silverstein
All the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself. Shel Silverstein
I believe that if you don’t want to do anything, then sit there and don’t do it, but don’t expect people to hand you a corn beef sandwich and wash your socks for you. Shel Silverstein
There is a voice inside of you That whispers all day long, I feel this is right for me, I know that this is wrong. No teacher, preacher, parent, friend Or wise man can decide What’s right for you just listen to The voice that speaks inside. Shel Silverstein
When the light turns green, you go. When the light turns red, you stop. But what do you do when the light turns blue and orange with lavender spots? Shel Silverstein
And he didn’t really know where he was going, but he did know he was going somewhere, because you really have to go somewhere, don’t you? Shel Silverstein
Comfortable shoes and the freedom to leave are the two most important things in life. Shel Silverstein
Find me a captain and sign me a crew. Captain and crew, captain and crew, Take me, oh take me to anywhere new. Shel Silverstein
There is a voice inside of you that whispers all day long, I feel that this is right for me, I know that this is wrong. No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide what’s right for you just listen to the voice that speaks inside. Shel Silverstein
Do a loony goony dance Cross the kitchen floor, Put something silly in the world That ain’t been there before. Shel Silverstein
If I had a brontosaurus, I would name him Horace or Morris. But if suddenly one day he had A lot of little brontosauri I would change his name to Laurie. Shel Silverstein
We can’t hold hands Someone might see. Won’t you please Hold toes with me? Shel Silverstein
How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live em. How much love inside a friend? Depends on how much you give em. Shel Silverstein
My beard grows down to my toes, I never wears no clothes, I wraps my hair Around my bare, And down the road I goes. Shel Silverstein
Make it so good and so clear that it doesn’t need any further explanation. Shel Silverstein
