EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF READING THE FAMOUS POEM ZEBRA QUESTION

  

Tell me I'm clever, Tell me I'm kind, Tell me I'm talented, Tell me I'm cute, Tell me I'm sensitive, Graceful and wise, Tell me I'm perfect - But tell me the truth.

This is the famous quote of Shel Silverstein

Silverstein started as an illustrator before working at Playboy. Remarkably, he then turned to writing and publishing children's books and poetry. He was known for his unique style, which combined fantastic illustration, powered by his unique imagination, with a bold brand of humor.

“Masks” is one of the most famous poems by Shel Silverstein, in which the two main characters wear masks to hide their blue skin. They spend their whole lives searching for others with blue skin like them but pass right by each other because of the masks that hide who they are.

His serious poems show an understanding of common childhood anxieties and wishes, while his humorous verse features outrageous scenarios and fun-to-say words and rhymes.

MY favourite poem of Shel Silverstein is:

ZEBRA QUESTION

I asked the zebra
Are you black with white stripes?
Or white with black stripes?
And the zebra asked me,
Or you good with bad habits?
Or are you bad with good habits?
Are you noisy with quiet times?
Or are you quiet with noisy times?
Are you happy with some sad days?
Or are you sad with some happy days?
Are you neat with some sloppy ways?
Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?
And on and on and on and on
And on and on he went.
I'll never ask a zebra
About stripes
Again.

 

 

 

Through this poem, the poet conveys:

Love and acceptance

The poet may want to encourage people to love others and not discriminate based on their appearance, religion, or region. 

Freedom and self-expression

The poet may want to emphasize the importance of allowing children to express themselves and be free. 

The value of people

The poet may want to convey that people should be valued for being themselves and not judged by their outer appearance or physical strength. 

The importance of nature

The poet may want to convey that nature has regenerative powers and cannot be destroyed easily, and that trees sustain our lives and must be preserved. 

Universal brotherhood

The poet may want to convey that people living in all parts of the world are similar to us in many ways. 

The negative effects of societal expectations

The poet may want to highlight the negative effects of societal expectations on children's development. 

The importance of not caging animals

The poet may want to convey that animals are not meant to be caged in zoos for the entertainment of humans.