Some poems are written for either adults or children, but the poems of Shel Silverstein attract readers of all ages. Perhaps this is why he is one of the best loved poets in the U S.A. and in other parts of the world.

Silverstein's poems always bring laughter and joy to readers. A sense of humor that is neither clocned nor offensive is the main characteristic of his poems. For example, Silverstein likes to tease dults in ways that children find funny. However, his humor is meant only to make people laugh and is never used as a way to criticize others.

Another characteristic of Silverstein's poetry is its short, snaply lines. With just a few words, Silverstein can create a strange character or a situation in an imaginary world, such as a bear living in a refrigerator, or a girl eating a whale. In his poems, he mixes the serious with the funny and the common with the strange. His poetry reminds us of the days when we were children and lived between the real and the imaginary.

Sadly, Silverstein passed away in 1999. His poetry, however, still lives on today. Around the world, readers continue to enjoy the strange and amazing world that Shel Silverstein created in his poems. 　　Crazy Dream

Last night I had a crazy dream That I was teachin' school.
My teachers had turned into kids,
And I laid down the rules.

I gave a hundred histery books To memorize each night,
And made Em read on their heads
Without turnin on the light.

I sent on a field trip To the outskirts of Mongolia,
And gave Em an　overnight assignment
To grow a twenty-foot purple magnolia.

I asked Em how many awful grades Can cause how many tears?
And if they got one answer wrong,
I just hung Em up by their ears.