Sick,+by+Shel+Silverstein

I read a poem called “Sick.” The poet of “Sick,” is Shel Silverstein. He is famous because he started writing at twelve years old, and became a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, and recording artist. He won Grammies and was an Oscar-nominated songwriter. Many people know him for his funny poetry for young readers, like his book called “Where The Sidewalk Ends,” an award winner, and other books like “Falling Up,” and “There’s a Light in the Attic.” (“Shel silverstein,” 2011) The poem “Sick,” is about a little girl pretending to be sick. She is making up all kinds of excuses so she doesn’t have to go to school, like her hip hurts when she moves her chin, and her belly button’s caving in. Then at the end her mom tells her it’s Saturday and she goes outside to play.

Sick “I cannot go to school today,” Said little Peggy Ann McKay. “I have the measles and the mumps, A gash a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, I’m going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox. And there’s one more-that’s seventeen And don’t you think my face looks green? My leg is cut, my eyes are blue- It might be instamatic flu. I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, I’m sure that my left leg is broke- My hip hurts when I move my chin, My belly button’s caving in, My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained, My ‘pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb, I have a sliver in my thumb. My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth, I think my hair is falling out. My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight, My temperature is one-o-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear. I have a hangnail, and my heart is-what? What’s that? What’s that you say? You say today is…Saturday? G’bye, I’m going out to play!

References

Shel silverstein. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/104

Silverstein, S. (1974) Where the sidewalk ends. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers