If we meet and I say, “Hi,”
That’s a salutation.
If you ask me how I feel,
That’s a consideration.
If we stop and talk a while,
That’s a conversation.
If we understand each other,
That’s a communication.
If we argue, scream and fight,
That’s an altercation.
If later we apoligize,
That’s reconciliation.
If we help each other home,
That’s a cooperation.
And all these actions added up
Make Civilization.
(And if I say this is a wonderful poem,
Is that exaggeration?)
by Shel Silverstein
There’s a light on in the attic.
Thought the house is dark and shuttered,
I can see a flickerin’ flutter,
And I know what it’s about.
There’s a light on in the attic.
I can see it from the outside.
And I know you’re on the inside… lookin’ out.
by Shel Silverstein
She was dancin’ when I seen her, in a Mexican cantina
In a neighborhood they call “La Zona Roja”.
She had a child’s smile, but she told me in a while
It would take a lot of gold to get to know her.
Acapulco Goldie, donde did you go.
You said you’d always hold me
But you run away with me Acapulco Gold.
I knew there’s no one cuter, then she said she was a puta.
I said, “What does puta mean?” And she told me…oh no…
Then we went to meet a dealer, we smoke and drink tequila.
Then the lights went out and I guess that’s when she rolled me.
Just like Acapulco Goldie, por que did you go.
You said you’d always hold me.
But you vamos away with me Acapulco Gold.
Ya ya, you run away with me Acapulco Gold.
by Shel Silverstein
In the Grandville greyhound station in the lightly drizzlin’ rain
Sittin’ on my suitcase goin’ quietly insane all about you babe all about you
All about you and then no feelin’ double dealin’ things that you do
Uh every man in Grandville says he knows you well
Burn your ears if you could hear the stories that they tell
All about you babe all about you
All about you and then no feelin’ double dealin’ things that you do
[ guitar ] They say you’re picked up every Thursday in a rich man’s limousine
And some cat in San Quentin keeps on havin’ nasty dreams
All about you babe…
[ guitar ] And now the summer sun may burn my back and these tears may dim my sight
But before I die there’s a dirty book I’m gonna write
All about you babe…
[ guitar ] Yeah the Grandville greyhound station
I waited on that night tell me you ain’t gonna show
And I just go on sing this silly song
All about you tell the world all about you
Tell ’em what you are and tell ’em what you wish yeah I’m gonna put your name in
by Shel Silverstein
Alimony alimony I work till my fingers are bloody and boney
Me oh my oh goodness sake I’m paying for my mistake
She calls it alimony alimony yeah you single men may think it’s funny
Till one of these days you’re gonna wake and find you’re payin’ for your mistake
Pom pom I walk around ragged like a low-down bum
I can’t afford to weigh myself or buy a stick of gum
It’s the same old story with a little more blues in it
I’m payin’ for it while someone else is usin’ it
Alimony alimony I thought I bought steak and it was all baloney
My heart and back are both about to break from payin’ for my mistake yeah
[ harmonica ]
Yeah I walk around ragged like a low down bum
I can’t afford to weigh myself or buy a stick of gum
Why it’s the same old story with a little more blues in it
I’m payin’ for it while someone else is usin’ it
Alimony alimony thought I bought steak and it was just baloney
And every penny that I make goes to payin’ for my mistake
Oh yeah payin’ for my mistake every Wednesday
Yeah aw come on baby y’know it’s your mistake too yeah
They took all the furniture and everything come on
Why maybe we could sorta pitch in and work it out y’know
I mean I could get a third job if that’s what you want I mean
What about sellin’ my blood y’know
by Shel Silverstein
Lay down
Let’s explore this tenderness between us
There ain’t no one around at all to see us
And baby would you mind
If maybe you and I
Took a little time to find each other?
Baby , We got all the time in the world
So why don’t we just take it nice and slow?
We got everything we need
To plant a lovin’ seed
And all the time we need to watch it grow.
Stay down
Stay at least until the fire stops burnin’
At least until the room has stopped it’s turnin’
And when the embers dyin’
We’re lyin’ in the afterglow
It’ll be as sweet as anything we’ve ever known
Baby , We got all the time in the world
So why don’t we just take it nice and slow?
We got everything we need
To plant a lovin’ seed
And all the time we need to watch it grow.
by Shel Silverstein
Now, listen to me, folks…
Hear what I say.
You got to eat oysters everyday
They’ll put your love life back on track
They’re nature’s own aphrodisiac.
Ohh, ohhh… yes it’s true
What a little oyster can do for you.
Ohh, ohhh… ain’t it fun
Here’s some things them oysters done…
They made Jim Beam
They made Allen Thick
They made Jonathan Swift
And they made Gracie Slick
They made Victor Mature
And they made Tom Petty
They started Willie Waylon
And they got Helen Reddy.
They made Tom Cruise
They made Oscar Wilde
They gave Gary Hart
But they gave Gomer Piles
They made William Hurt
They made Lucille Ball
They made Wilson Picket
And that ain’t all.
Ohh, ohhh… yes it’s true
What a little oyster can do for you.
Ohh, ohhh… ain’t it fun
Here’s some more them oysters done.
They made Stevie Wonder
And they made old John Wayne
They made Saul Bellow
And caused Thomas Paine
Turned Clint Black
And turned Barry White
Made Doris’ Day
And Gladys’ Knight.
They gave Bob Hope
They gave Percy Faith
They made Marvin Gaye
But they made George Straight
They made Bobby’s Short
And Lester’s Flatt
And hey… they even did more than that.
Ohh, ohhh… yes it’s true
What a little oyster can do for you.
Ohh, ohhh… ain’t it fun
Here’s some more them oysters done.
They got George Bush
They made Bozo a Clown
They got Bobby Bare
And made Ezra Pound
They made Gallo Wine
They made Merle Haggart
They Made Andy Devine
They made Jimmy Swagger
They made Rich Little
And made Hughie Long
They made BB King
And they made Neil’s Armstrong
And if you ask my wife,
She’ll tell you quite gaily
Best of all they made old Pat Daily.
Ohh, ohhh… yes it’s true
What a little oyster can do for you.
Ohh, ohhh… ain’t it fun
That’s all about oysters
Now we’re done.
by Shel Silverstein
“A genuine anteater,”
The pet man told me dad.
Turned out, it was an aunt eater,
And now my uncle’s mad!
by Shel Silverstein
