Sunday, June 28, 2009

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

In this poem,the figurative language mostly used is SYMBOLISM.
The figurative language is actually very subtle,and not easy to find out.For example,the 'peppermint wind',since peppermint is actually a bitter sweet,it shows a contrast between the combined sadness and happiness in the wind,for it is on the sidewalk,where beautiful flowers grow,but it is going to end.Most probably,the wind represents the author itself.'The dark street winds and bends',describes the author's messy thoughts,while suggesting that the author is in a dark dilemma.The words used are all very gloomy and the actions they suggest are very deliberate,resulting in a very intense but short read.

I like the poem as it gives out a mysterious aura,and it attracts me as the sidewalk ending is such a common matter,but he is speaking from the children's minds.This shows that children actually have longing and darkness in them,although not visible to observers but only to themselves.I feel that this poem actually has another meaning behind it,which means that nature itself doesn't want streets,doesn't want people driving cars around the polluting the environment.So,actually,this could be a dark story about children of nature.The meaning it may give out is meaningless,and therefore,with such a simple title and few words conveying its meaning,its expressions are limitless.That,is what attracts me.Therefore,symbolism is obvious here,as nature is obviously not even written into the poem itself.The poem is nice,that's a fact.The poem has limitless meanings,that's another fact.Last but not least,the meaning is hidden and so,makes the whole mood turn mysterious.That's the beauty of the poem.