POEM BY
SHEL SILVERSTEIN
CLASS 6
SUMITHA K, TGT ENGLISH, JNV, WAYANAD, KERALA
The poem is about a child who has many fears and doubts. This poem is written in child’s voice and point of view. The child is lying in bed worrying about all the things that could go wrong in his life.
SHEL SILVERSTEIN
1930 -1999
Shel Silverstein
American-born in Chicago
Famous for his cartoons and children’s books
Served in U.S. Army in 1950 in both Japan and Korea
Famous works– Where the sidewalk ends, The Giving tree, Falling up.
What if means what
would happen if
things go wrong
Or
What would happen
if this or that happens
Last night while I lay thinking here
Some what ifs crawled
inside my ear
crawl - to move slowly on hands and knees
And pranced and partied
all night long
And sang their same
old what if song:
Prance - to jump forward on hind legs
What if I am
dumb in school?
Dumb - silent /
unable to speak
What if they’ve closed
the swimming pool?
What if I
get beat up?
Whatif there’s
poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
WHATIF I GET SICK AND DIE?
What if I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody
likes me
WHATIF
A BOLT OF
LIGHTNING
STRIKES ME?
Strike - hit
Whatif
I don’t
grow taller?
Whatif
my
head
starts getting smaller
Whatif the fish won’t bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Tear – destroy/ damage
by pulling apart
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents
get divorced?
Divorced-separated
Whatif the
bus is late?
Whatif my teeth
don’t grow staright?
Whatif I tear
my pants
Tear – destroy/ damage
by pulling apart
Whatif I never
learn to dance?
Everything seems swell,
and then
Swell- to become large in size
The night time
Whatif
Strikes
again
Whatif means the doubts and fears regarding what would happen if things go wrong or what would happen if this or that happens This poem is written in child’s voice and point of view. The poem is about a child who has many fears and doubts.
The child is lying in bed worrying about all the things that could go wrong in his life. The speaker is worried if he was dumb in school, if they had closed the swimming pool, if he got beaten up, if there was poison in his cup, if he started to cry, if he got sick and died, if he flunked that test, if green hair grew on his chest, if nobody liked him,
if a bolt of lightning struck him, if he did not grow taller, if his head started getting smaller, if the fish would not bite, if the wind tore up his kite, if they started a war, if his parents got divorced, if the bus was late, if his teeth did not grow in straight, if he tore his pants, if he never learnt to dance.
The narrator’s wild imagination shows that he is still a child and his way of thinking is very limited. The poem delves into the psychology of a child who is very timid and fearful. It talks about our irrational fears that disturb our peace of mind and don’t let us enjoy the moment.
When he wakes up next morning, everything looks normal, but his doubts and fears appear again the next night. Such strange questions strike him at night time. The child’s mind is filled with such negative thoughts. Though these doubts and fears are baseless they trouble him and develop a negative attitude in him. To get rid of such worries the child should involve himself in some creative work.