My Favourite Poet

Shel Silverstien.

My favourite poet is Shel Silverstein. He wrote many poem for children and he was perhaps the most widely popular children's book author of the twentieth century. Critic Megan Rosenfeld has aptly dubbed him the “poet laureate of kids.” Some of his works have been longtime bestsellers, translated into numerous languages, and internationally celebrated. Silverstein's verse and illustrations in his books for children are celebrated for their whimsical sense of humor, satire, and absurdity. Although sometimes he was compared to Dr. Seuss, Silverstein's poetry for children has a more rebellious edge, often promoting iconoclasm and anti-establishment antics, and frequently ridiculing the rules of conduct put forth by adults. Nonetheless, Silverstein's message to children often has strong moral implications. This is the part where I find him intriguing.

Other Silverstein poems for children express more sincere sentiments, as well as strong moral messages, though usually couched in silly terms.

For example, The Giving Tree, is a story of self-sacrifice and selfless devotion that has been interpreted as a Christian parable. Most of Silverstein's stories and poems for children eschew the preachiness and didactic moralizing that often characterizes children's books. Silverstein is also known for his adult humor, such as his many cartoons published in Playboy magazine.

Throughout his career, Silverstein remained a very private person, giving few interviews and revealing little about his childhood and personal life. From this I can see that he is very private and shy of his background and also do not want to make it public.

Silverstein first gained widespread recognition as a children's book author with the publication of The Giving Tree, a storybook in verse.

His long and varied career as a writer and illustrator, spanning nearly half a century, includes cartoons, children's books, adult humor, song lyrics, musical compositions, one-act plays, and a screenplay. Silverstein helped to launch the career of the band Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. He composed many of the band's most popular songs.

Critics generally agree that the greatest strength of Silverstein's poetry for children lies in his effective use of humor. Commentators also note that the appeal of Silverstein's verse for children is partly due to his simple, regular rhyming schemes. Silverstein's verse has been praised for its speech-like qualities, lending itself to oral recitation and musical accompaniment. These qualities render Silverstein's poetry accessible and easy-to-read for children. Many critics have noted, however, that Silverstein is by no means a skilled or inventive technician, in terms of meter and rhyme.

The Giving Tree (1964), Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974), A Light in the Attic (1981)

This is his 3 best-selling books. If you like them, you surely will like the rest of his works.
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Source: enotes.com
famouspoetsandpoems.com.